Unable to upgrade even though Exchange says it is possible.

[shergar]

Hello, I would be interested in upgrading my current Broadband package from the Sky Broadband Superfast to a much faster package, such as Full Fibre 500 or Gigafast. However when looking at options available, the website says I am on the fast available. My local exchange is the West Kirby one and I actually live about 50 yards from it and I know it is possible, as two friends who live about half a mile away CAN upgrade to a Fibre product and have done so in the past week. .My property is in a 3 storey block of flats and is only 7 years old and I have been there since it was built. The only difference between my property and the two others I mentioned, is that they are houses and mine isn't. I would be very grateful if this could be investigated. Thank you.

[TimmyBGood]

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@shergar wrote:

The only difference between my property and the two others I mentioned, is that they are houses and mine isn't.

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That's a very significant difference when a new optical circuit has to be installed.  Put bluntly, houses are (relatively) easy for Openreach to get to, while flats are often not (and more or less impossible without cooperation from the building owner)

Putting the address into the BT Wholesale Availability Checker should indicate which broadband provisioning type is applicable.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome 

It's the table and the two text lines below it which are most useful.

Remove any personal information (such as the address itself) if you post an image.

[shergar]

Interesting and thanks for your reply. My address is connected by 'Cabinet 4' to our Exchange and my friend's is 'Cabinet 7'. I can clearly see that FTTP is not available at my cabinet but is at my friends cabinet.

Mine

My friends

[TimmyBGood]

@shergar 

The difference almost certainly isn't the cabinet (FTTP doesn't necessarily go anywhere near there) : it's getting an optical circuit up to and inside a block of flats and then into an individual dwelling unit that's the challenge.

[FLC]

@shergar 

Try the other addresses in the block. If they all say unavailable then it's possible the freeholder has refused permission for the connection or it's just too expensive for Openreach to service.

You could also try this Openreach form:

https://www.openreach.com/forms/fibre-broadband-availability---customer-form

[TimmyBGood]

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@FLC wrote:

@shergar 

 it's possible the freeholder has refused permission for the connection or it's just too expensive for Openreach to service.

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Or not scheduled in this part of the rollout but to be revisited before December 2026.

[shergar]

Yes checked that, same situation as mine.

[TimmyBGood]

@shergar 

Like I said, flats aren't straightforward.  It may simply be that Openreach is doing the easier stuff first.

[shergar]

Yes, you could be right and thanks to you and others who have taken the time to reply.