Openreach’s UK Fibre Broadband Checker Offline for Second Day UPDATE3
Several of ISPreview’s readers have indicated to us that Openreach’s fibre broadband checker has been down since yesterday morning or thereabouts. The popular tool is currently still offline at the time of writing today and returns the following message on use: “Service request failed. Please try again later“.
The network access provider is clearly aware of this, as their website now carries a status message to inform visitors that they are “experiencing some technical difficulties” with the service. “We are aware there is an issue with our fibre availability checker/reappointment, we’re working on it and should be back online shortly,” added the notification.
Service outages like this do happen from time to time, although they are usually very brief and this one has gone on for a lot longer than usual. But no doubt it should return soon. In the meantime, we have requested an update from Openreach and hope to report back soon.
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UPDATE 1:52pm
Openreach have informed us that they’re still “investigating” and hope to have the checker back up and running asap.
UPDATE 3:14pm
The checker is now back online.
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UPDATE 5:06pm
A spokesperson for Openreach told ISPreview: “The Openreach fibre checker is now back online after we experienced some technical issues following a service software update. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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This is the second time in recent months that their checker has gone down due to technical issues. Happened towards the end of 2024 as well iirc. Perhaps one of their processes that updates their database records for individual properties to determine if its in build, complete or not planned is causing the issue, as this is about the time i would expect the next update on their build plans….
could use this instead? https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com
You could, and it is much more useful, IMHO. However, you do need more knowledge to interpret the results.
It’s useless anyway.
My area was supposed to be done last July.
Then August.
Then September.
Then no further plans.
It is useless to be honest, It said here, could be around 2 years and then a few weeks later, openreach was around here, that was after Zzoomm started to do their network
I don’t care what anyone says, I still think Openreach moved their backsides when Zzoomm started to build their network
Ironically this happened at the same time as my house is now on their map.
I checked at 3pm and it’s back online.
No doubt, BT Ivor will release a statement telling us its BT and wonderful and nothing breaks and we all just imagined it 🙂
This is interesting as I checked my property, and I can now get 76mbs. Considering that I am on 22mbs, the dslam being 1500m away, and have been informed that they will not move me onto a dslam 500m away, and in fact they do not do such a thing.
I fail to see how this increase in speed will be possible.
The last i heard re fttp from OR was they had no plans to install in my street, where at least 30 properties owned by reasonably affluent house owners reside.
I just paid for FoD about 4 years ago. Wasn’t prepared to wait. Was about 9k in my simple case (ag-node is only about 300m away). Some people buy cars, some people buy holidays. I buy Internet 🙂
The openreach checker only reports back the underlying service, it doesn’t give a speed estimate, that is a contractually binding commitment provide at the point of sale by the provider
It may be back online but if I put my postcode in it only uses the first part. So that’s useless.
Now it works if I don’t put a space between the two parts.
I will get a no regardless. I spoke to one of their workmen around the corner from me saying the cable is buried in my street so it won’t get done yet.
It hasn’t stopped a few of my friends getting done though and the situation is the same with them.
Yes they seem to be skipping over areas where the copper is direct dig (I.E. no ducts), they have done most of Banbury but skipped over several estates for this reason. I presume the logic is by doing the easier stuff first you can maximise the number of premises passed as quickly as possible then return to fill the gaps later in the build.
According to the check, I can get up to, 1600Mb/s on Openreach full fibre.
FTTC up to 76Mb/s. LOL, not a ghost in hells chance, I presume they just check that FTTC is around this way and not how far the cabinet is from me.
ADSL is 21Mb/s LOL, 3 if I was lucky when I was last on it.
Glad I have a choice of another network, up to 2000Mb/s both ways, if I want it, not that I do.,
Openreach site doesn’t give speed estimates, just product availability
@The real Witcher
Below is a copy and paste from the Openreach check site of my address or close to it anyway.
Full Fibre Broadband
Up to 1600* Mbps download speed
up to 115* Mbps upload speed
This is a full-fibre connection
Learn more
Register my interest
Available now
Fibre to the Cabinet Broadband
Up to 76* Mbps download speed
Up to 15* Mbps upload speed
This is a part-fibre connection
Learn more
Register my interest
Available now
Copper Broadband
Up to 21* Mbps download speed
Up to 1* Mbps upload speed
Exactly my point, those aren’t speed estimates they are wholesale products, Openreach are a wholesaler. Wherever FTTC is available it will show upto 76mbps. Where ADSL is available it will show upto 21mbps. Retail providers give specific estimates at point of sale.
Those aren’t speed estimates. They are product specs.
Just checked the Openreach Fibre Checker for addresses about four miles from me and found Full Fibre and ADSL to be available. No mention of FTTC which I know is available. No mention either that the exchange went Stop Sell in November 2023. Pretty Useless!
Postcode?
If FTTP is available they won’t install FTTC.
If it went “stop sell” then FTTC wouldn’t appear as a possibility?
@A_Builder
Take your point on FTTC, but why does ADSL still show as available? Even in Stop Sell areas you can still stay on FTTC with your present ISP or another as long as it’s 40Mbps, you can also bandwidth modify. I know of one case where SKY allow a customer to remain on a 80Mbps connection in the same area.
Seems like the cabinet is out of capacity
I think they are teasing in my area.
OpenReach’s website says FTTP due some time between now and December 2026.
BT Wholesale website says that mine is not a priority exchange for FTTP, that FTTP is not available and that WBC FTTC is not available (Yet I have been on it for years)
Suddenly, in the last two weeks a painted blue circle, with a cross through it, and marked “BT” has appeared in the road next to the BT pavement inspection chamber serving my house.But that’s usually done for protective marking purposes when third-party installers are operating in an area ?
And lo, when I went down the chemists yesterday, there were some “Pavement lifters” . . . .contractors, operating in and around various inspection chambers and who, on enquiry, indicated they were laying BT fibre.
I think the latter may be a tactical response to Community Fibre who got in to the Doctors surgery immediately across the road about 15 months ago, . . . .obviously trying to limit their expansion into the residential property near-by ?
Won’t believe it until I see the ONT on the inside wall.
Yup, nothing says tactical response like waiting 15 months having announced build to the entire area months ago.