FTTC cabinet latest 20 Dec 2016

Cabinet P2	FTTC being Connected, live due by March 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1RY
Cabinet P3	FTTC being Connected, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1QU
Cabinet P4	FTTC being Connected, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1QR
Cabinet P5	FTTC doing Field Survey, live due by June 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1SG

PCP002 - near Exchange/Tyree, Benderloch north - ETA June 2017 (16/02101)
PCP003 - Ferlum/Shenavallie junction, South Shian road - ETA Jan 2017 (16/01861)
PCP004 - Ardbhatan, South Shian road - ETA Jan 2017 (16/01864)
PCP005 - opp Gair Na Mara Barcaldine - ETA June 2017 (16/01862)

PCP006 - opposite Barcaldine Primary School - ETA unknown (16/02840)

Benderloch Cabinet lists

Ledaig Benderloch FTTC fibre broadband cabinet locations: (and planning refs for detailed map)

PCP001 - Opposite village hall - Live Dec 2015
PCP002 - near Exchange/Tyree, Benderloch north - ETA June 2017 (16/02101)
PCP003 - Ferlum/Shenavallie junction, South Shian road - ETA Jan 2017 (16/01861)
PCP004 - Ardbhatan, South Shian road - ETA Jan 2017 (16/01864)
PCP005 - opp Gair Na Mara Barcaldine - ETA June 2017 (16/01862)
PCP006 - opposite Barcaldine Primary School - ETA unknown (16/02840)

Cabinet P1	FTTC Available from 18th December 2015	Phase BDUK HIE 12a	149	Huawei	PA37 1PY
Cabinet E_2	Fibre Not Available	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei
Cabinet P2	FTTC doing Field Survey, live due by June 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1RY
Cabinet E_3	Fibre Not Available	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei
Cabinet P3	FTTC being Connected, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1QU
Cabinet E_4	Fibre Not Available	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei
Cabinet P4	FTTC being Connected, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1QR
Cabinet P5	FTTC doing Field Survey, live due by June 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei	PA37 1SG
Cabinet E_6	Fibre Not Available	Phase BDUK HIE 16a		Huawei

ETA January 2017..?

ETA for two of the Benderloch cabinets now back to January 2017 rather than June 2017.
Cabinets P3 and P4 (Shenavallie and Ardbhatan if the stickers on the new green cabinets are anything to go by) now due go-live by January 2017 rather than June 2017 which is nice.

Fibre Cabinet	FTTC Status	Phase	FTTP Status	Properties Passed	Vendor	Approx Post Code
Cabinet P1	FTTC Available from 18th December 2015	Phase BDUK HIE 12a		149	Huawei	PA37 1PY
Cabinet E_2	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet P2	FTTC doing Field Survey, live due by June 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei	PA37 1RY
Cabinet E_3	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet P3	FTTC being Connected, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei	PA37 1QU
Cabinet E_4	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet P4	FTTC being Connected, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei	PA37 1QR
Cabinet P5	FTTC doing Field Survey, live due by June 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei	PA37 1SG
Cabinet E_6	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei

Moss Road End fibre?

New all-in-one cabinet for Moss road end

16/02493/TELNOT | Installation of telecommunications apparatus | Land South West Of Cuil North Connel Argyll And Bute

https://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=map&keyVal=ODDUPSCH0A900

Fibre heading down this way?

Benderloch BT Fibre cabinets ETA July 2017?

Here's today's Estimate planned go-live dates for additional cabinets in Benderloch:

Cabinet P1	FTTC Available from 18th December 2015	Phase BDUK HIE 12a		149	Huawei	PA37 1PY
Cabinet E_2	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet P2	FTTC doing Design, live due by July 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet E_3	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet P3	FTTC doing Design, live due by July 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet E_4	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet P4	FTTC doing Design, live due by July 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet P5	FTTC doing Design, live due by July 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei
Cabinet E_6	FTTC doing Design, live due by January 2017	Phase BDUK HIE 16a			Huawei

I presume, the four "January 2017" E2/E3/E4/E6 planning applications are for the green streetside 'all-in'one' cabinets already submitted to A&B Council - namely:

Ardbhatan, Benderloch

Tyree, Benderloch

Ferlum, Benderloch,

Gair Na Mara, Barcaldine

Doing some reading, "Cabinet E_%" refers to an Exchange bundle - or a group of Exchange-Only lines (telephone lines that connect straight back the Exchange, not via a green cabinet, and hence currently can't benefit from FTTC fibre broadband).

Cabinet "P%" refers to a physical cabinet "PCP" on the street. My understanding is that an Exchange-only line can be marked for upgrade, but since there is no physical cabinet then it is referenced "E_%" until the plan for the cabinet is finalised and a "Cabinet P%" is created. It then takes sometime for the entry in the database for the E reference to be removed, so there will be one "E_%" entry and one "P%" entry for each new cabinet installed for an Exchange-only bundle. The numbering schemes for the Exchange bundles and the PCP cabinets may not necessarily match as it appears they increment the P% numbers as they are created rather than matching the corresponding Exchange bundle.

So I infer from this that the go-live date for FTTC at these new Benderloch cabinets is July 2017

more Gigaplus Argyll masts

more masts in planning for Colonsay , Luing, Mull (Pennyghael) and Jura.

Benderloch mast location is stated in planning application 16/0216/PP (Luing Network Access Statement) as 56.5813 -5.558622 but this is the Glensanda mast location.

Gigaplus Argyll mainland mast locations

Another mast has been submitted to planning for Glensanda Quarry, which will theoretically cover much of the Benderloch/Barcaldine/Appin coastline and inland too.

It can be seen in the planning documents that an additional mainland mast for Benderloch is also proposed.

http://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/files/7EF0E339CDB129012DC83EBE96BFF906/pdf/16_02555_FUL-NETWORK_ACCESS_STATEMENT-996387.pdf

16/02555/FUL | Erection of 9m lattice tower and satellite dish | Land 2140M NE Of Glensanda House Glensanda Morvern

Highland.gov.uk planning portal

Gigaplus Argyll Coverage map

link to PDF showing mast locations, map and approximate coverage areas of each mast


https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/Planning/StreamDocPage/obj.pdf?DocNo=21411041&PDF=true&content=obj.pdf

New BT cabinets for South Shian and Barcaldine

New BT roadside cabinets have been submitted for planning application in Benderloch and Barcaldine,

According to the planning applications, these are "All-In-One" cabinets that will provide FTTC access ("superfast fibre") to Exchange-only lines.
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/fttc-cabinets.htm#fttc_cabinet_capacity

Planning applications for three cabinets submitted 23 June 2016:
Shenavallie junction
South Shian road opp. Ardbhatan
Barcaldine opp Bonawe road

planning application references:

Shenavallie 16/01861/TELNOT

Ardbhatan 16/01864/TELNOT

Barcaldine 16/01862/TELNOT

HI Enterprise suggested in Jan 2016 that  4 cabinets for Benderloch area were planned. 

Gigaplus Argyll technology

looking at the planning applications, the system is based around an Ubiquiti Airmax ac network,

Basestation transceiver: Airmax rocket ac base stations @ 5GHz

Antenna: airMAX sector antenna for broadcast, and possibly rocketDish/powerBeam  antennas for backhaul/infrastructure to other towers

Towers: 10-30m lattice towers for core, some masts and telegraph poles for repeaters (off-grid ' Eco-pop')

Base cabinet: 16U IP55 wall cabinets

Gigaplus Argyll Mast Locations

Gigaplus Argyll mast locations currently in planning:

Mull:
 Loch Don (21 June (awaiting decision)
 Calgary 21 May (awaiting decision)
 Bunessan 7 June (awaiting)
 Dervaig (19 May (awaiting)
 Kinlochspelve (25 april approved)
 Loch Buie (26 april approved)
 Glengorm (24 March awaiting)
Craignish, Lochgilphead (29 march approved)

If you are line of sight to any of these masts you are likely to be able to benefit from the service.
Further masts are expected in the future.


A full list of proposed masts and estimate coverage is available in the following document (obtained from the planning applications above)
https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/Planning/StreamDocPage/obj.pdf?DocNo=21411041&PDF=true&content=obj.pdf

• Torosay
• Glengorm
• Kilninian
• Beinn Chladan
• Lochdon
• Achdabeg
• Meml
• Lochbuie
• Cnoc Leatchan
• Cruach Sleibhe
• Cruachan
• Ulva Ferry
• Cnoc Clach na Ciste
• Knock Farm 
• Chaolairigh
• Beinn Bhugan
• Garb-Shron
• Beinn Creagach
• Cnocn Dhomnhuill (Luing)
• Luing Quarry (Luing)
• Mid Farm (Lismore)

It is interesting to see some of these masts are off-grid or at least partly powered by wind or solar.

Planning notices and references below




Erection of telegraph pole with antennas and wind charger (overall structure height 10 metres) and associated works 

Achdabeg Lochdon Isle Of Mull Argyll And Bute PA64 6AP

Ref. No: 16/01622/PP | Received: Wed 08 Jun 2016 | Validated: Tue 21 Jun 2016 | Status: Awaiting decision

Erection of lattice telecommunications tower (overall structure height 11 metres) and associated works 

Land Approx 324M South West Of Brennan Calgary Isle Of Mull Argyll And Bute

Ref. No: 16/01497/PP | Received: Thu 26 May 2016 | Validated: Tue 31 May 2016 | Status: Awaiting decision

Erection of lattice telecommunications tower (overall structure height 11 metres) and associated works 

Land North West Of Sean Bhaile And West Of Ardalanish Bay Bunessan Isle Of Mull Argyll And Bute PA67 6DR

Ref. No: 16/01481/PP | Received: Wed 25 May 2016 | Validated: Tue 07 Jun 2016 | Status: Awaiting decision

Erection of 9m lattice telecommunication tower and two wind turbines (4.5 meters high to blade tip). Installation of solar panels and formation of temporary access track. 

Land Adjacent To Allt Nan Breac-Chlachen River Beinn Chreagach Forest Dervaig Isle Of Mull Argyll And Bute

Ref. No: 16/01277/PP | Received: Mon 09 May 2016 | Validated: Thu 19 May 2016 | Status: Awaiting decision

Erection of lattice telecommunications tower (overall structure height 11 metres) and associated works

Land South East Of Mansefield Kinlochspelve Isle Of Mull Argyll And Bute

Ref. No: 16/00973/PP | Received: Wed 06 Apr 2016 | Validated: Mon 25 Apr 2016 | Status: Decided

Erection of lattice telecommunications tower (overall structure height 11 metres) and associated works

Land West Of Lochbuie House Lochbuie Isle Of Mull Argyll And Bute

Ref. No: 16/00953/PP | Received: Tue 05 Apr 2016 | Validated: Tue 26 Apr 2016 | Status: Decided

Erection of 15 metres high lattice telecommunications tower

Land South Of Aird Steading Craignish Lochgilphead Argyll And Bute PA31 8QS

Ref. No: 16/00725/PP | Received: Fri 11 Mar 2016 | Validated: Thu 24 Mar 2016 | Status: Decided

Erection of 30.5 metres high lattice telecommunications tower and associated works 

Meall An Inbhire Wireless Station Mishnish Isle Of Mull Argyll And Bute PA75 6QE

Ref. No: 16/00715/PP | Received: Thu 10 Mar 2016 | Validated: Tue 29 Mar 2016 | Status: Awaiting decision

4G mobile broadband internet Connel

4G mobile connections could be a viable alternative for people unable to get the BT wholesale fibre broadband. Download speeds of around 30Mbit/s are possible on most networks.

EE already have an active 4G mast in Oban town centre, which allows some people around Benderloch to receive a good 4G signal.

A few weeks ago several people reported a strong 4G signal on Vodafone in and around Connel.
Vodafone's customer service confirmed that a 4G signal was active in Connel. The vodafone coverage checker shows that 4G is expected within the next 3 months in the area. It is presumably from the Connel Mast before the bridge by the reservoir.

planning application
14/01395/TELNOT
30/5/2014
details a planning application (approved) to upgrade the mast to 4G on behalf of Telefonica (O2) and Vodafone.

With a suitable modem, 4G can provide an economical home broadband connection in addition to fast internet on your mobile phone/tablet. for around £25/month you can get a comparable connection (speed, usage) to an urban ADSL2+ connection.

Planning applications have also been lodged for mast upgrades on

East Mull (Glen More) 25th March 2016 16/00956/TELNOT
Dervaig 16/00773/TELNOT 3 March 2016
Glen Orchy 16/00318/PP Feb 2016
Machrihanish 15/03527/TELNOT Dec 2015

Map of Benderloch superfast broadband coverage

We are mapping the properties that currently can receive the new superfast broadband, and those that cannot.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zYXeWT38wz5I.kOL8RMFvnG10&usp=sharing

Ledaig exchange not upgraded to handle new FTTC

The fibre for the new cabinet in the village that was FTTC enabled January 2016 apparently comes up from Oban, rather than down from the Ledaig Exchange itself. I was hoping that the Ledaig exchange had been upgraded to a '21CN'  backhaul in order to pass the data from the new FTTC connections off to the rest of the internet. 21CN at the exchange would open the possibility of "ADSL2+" connections for exchange-only lines, giving "up to 24Mbit/s" connections for those close enough to the exchange, and a more stable connection for longer lines. This is not the case.

BT still plans to retire the old 20CN network, but the last estimate I could find for upgrading Ledaig to 21CN was "Calendar year 2014"....

4 new cabinets for Ledaig exchange

Ardchattan Community Council were told last week that there are plans for four additional "FTTC" cabinets for the Benderloch / Ledaig exchange area.
Their locations or go-live dates are not known.
It should be noted that properties over approx 1km from a cabinet will not see the benefits of 'superfast' broadband.

It's here!

Benderloch's Fibre cabinet is now enabled and accepting orders!

What if you are not connected to the new cabinet? Apparently BT will be releasing more information towards the middle of 2016 with plans for connecting some of the exchange-only lines.

Gigaplus Argyll are going live with coverage in Lismore at the end of 2016 which might open some avenues for wireless broadband for those with line of sight to Lismore.

Some information is floating around the internet about 'BackOfBeyond' ISP based in Oban - have a search on Facebook.

Community Broadband Scotland has been set up to assist communities outside BT's planned superfast region get next-gen broadband speeds. There is the possiblility of creating a wireless broadband system via this.

It might also be technically possible for a small number of houses and club together to create their own small wireless link, using some friendly contact in the village who IS connected to the new cabinet and installing some wireless kit on a suitable prominent position.