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New CF customer - day 1: half way there?

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👋 hi!

Ordered the 3Gbps service, and install day is today.

Engineer came early, nice fella, did the job, and left me with a 1Gbps service running via an Adtran SDX621i modem attached to a Linksys SPNMX42 and a couple of Linksys SPNMX55s, but said someone would be round later to "change it to 3Gbps".

I called CF to ask when "later" was, but the poor chap who answered the call:

* informed me I actually needed a new, second appointment to get the 3Gbps service
* couldn't tell me what was going to be changed at the second appointment (kit? line?)
* couldn't offer me any dates for that appointment as none were available.

Is this normal for CF?
 
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Reactions: Msh
👋 hi!

Ordered the 3Gbps service, and install day is today.

Engineer came early, nice fella, did the job, and left me with a 1Gbps service running via an Adtran SDX621i modem attached to a Linksys SPNMX42 and a couple of Linksys SPNMX55s, but said someone would be round later to "change it to 3Gbps".

I called CF to ask when "later" was, but the poor chap who answered the call:

* informed me I actually needed a new, second appointment to get the 3Gbps service
* couldn't tell me what was going to be changed at the second appointment (kit? line?)
* couldn't offer me any dates for that appointment as none were available.

Is this normal for CF?

This happened very recently and with another user replying to that. I think it's a common theme.
 
Ummm that's pretty bad. I heard they are struggling to source the 10g OTNs and routers but they shouldn't really install a service they can't provide. On the other side I wonder what they will actually bill you for? Surely they can't bill you for 3Gbps as you are only getting 1Gbps. You will certainly need a new OTN since the Adtran SDX621i is 1Gbps only. You will also need a new router, see this thread:

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/talk/threads/3000mb-service.39515/
 
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Thank you @Msh and @GreenLantern22 , that's helpful to know and gives me a lot of comfort :)

I'll call them back in a bit and see if I can get something resembling a straight answer from someone more senior regarding what the plan will be.
 
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Thank you @Msh and @GreenLantern22 , that's helpful to know and gives me a lot of comfort :)

I'll call them back in a bit and see if I can get something resembling a straight answer from someone more senior regarding what the plan will be.
It might still be worth keeping the 1Gbps service since it's very low latency and one of the cheapest symetric gig services in the UK. But doesn't excuse CF for not delivering the service requested...
 
👋 hi!

Ordered the 3Gbps service, and install day is today.

Engineer came early, nice fella, did the job, and left me with a 1Gbps service running via an Adtran SDX621i modem attached to a Linksys SPNMX42 and a couple of Linksys SPNMX55s, but said someone would be round later to "change it to 3Gbps".

I called CF to ask when "later" was, but the poor chap who answered the call:

* informed me I actually needed a new, second appointment to get the 3Gbps service
* couldn't tell me what was going to be changed at the second appointment (kit? line?)
* couldn't offer me any dates for that appointment as none were available.

Is this normal for CF?
hello steve, i had the same problem i was due to get a installation of the 3GB package on the day off my first appointment the engineers arrived and didnt have the right equipment (Router+ONT) for the 3GB package so they set me up on the 1GB package they didnt tell me a date either when i could get the right equipment i had to call CF and they told me they would be in touch within 2-3 days, i got a email with a 2nd date which was today engineers came and installed the new router and ONT i also got 2 months free due to mishap
 
It's a nightmare reaching the team that handles the appointments of 3G as I've been told it's done by their business team and anyone on the phone can't reach them directly other than raise a ticket. I got a customer service representative to raise it as an urgent request and the next day I eventually got a call from the coordinator to book the 3G install appointment
 
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It's a nightmare reaching the team that handles the appointments of 3G as I've been told it's done by their business team and anyone on the phone can't reach them directly other than raise a ticket. I got a customer service representative to raise it as an urgent request and the next day I eventually got a call from the coordinator to book the 3G install appointment
They should up their game really, a lot of consumers are interested in the 3gigs service. I for one might go for it once my first contract runs to an end.
 
It's a nightmare reaching the team that handles the appointments of 3G as I've been told it's done by their business team and anyone on the phone can't reach them directly other than raise a ticket. I got a customer service representative to raise it as an urgent request and the next day I eventually got a call from the coordinator to book the 3G install appointment
Yep same here. I got another well-intentioned but rather under-supported chap on the phone, who said "I can definitely raise a ticket for you now" but couldn't answer anything else.

From what I'm reading from the good folks here, I'm concluding that should expect new kit - is that just the modem or will they replace the Linksys bits as well?

(I'm in strife already with the missus for messing up her WFH with new wifi passwords and whatnot, I need to know whether to prime her for a day at the office should all new kit show up)

The connection appears to be clean and fast - not sure about the Linksys mesh kit, though, doesn't seem to be as powerful as the Fritz kit I had before. Might need to run cat6 around again for a better backhaul.
 
Yep same here. I got another well-intentioned but rather under-supported chap on the phone, who said "I can definitely raise a ticket for you now" but couldn't answer anything else.

From what I'm reading from the good folks here, I'm concluding that should expect new kit - is that just the modem or will they replace the Linksys bits as well?

(I'm in strife already with the missus for messing up her WFH with new wifi passwords and whatnot, I need to know whether to prime her for a day at the office should all new kit show up)

The connection appears to be clean and fast - not sure about the Linksys mesh kit, though, doesn't seem to be as powerful as the Fritz kit I had before. Might need to run cat6 around again for a better backhaul.

Yeah it should be the Adtran 621X and the Technicolor FGA5330 which is garbage and they've locked it down as well which I think has caused a lot of their setup issues. I'm still using it for the time being as I don't have another router that has a 10gbps out port yet for the time being.
 
Yeah it should be the Adtran 621X and the Technicolor FGA5330 which is garbage and they've locked it down as well which I think has caused a lot of their setup issues. I'm still using it for the time being as I don't have another router that has a 10gbps out port yet for the time being.
Personally I think that anyone going for the 3gbps should be running their own router, as clearly you will be an advanced user with a 10gbps network setup or at least 2.5Gbps. Otherwise it's pointless to have that kind of service over a 1Gbps network. Have a look at the Netgate pfSense boxes:

https://www.netgate.com/appliances?...profile=*&software=pfSense+Plus&form_factor=*

I am running the 6100 on CF with no issues. Otherwise for a lower budget option you could build your own router / PC and run OPNsense on it.
 
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you will be an advanced user with a 10gbps network setup or at least 2.5Gbps

You're way too kind - I wish :D I'm a lazy part-retired nerd with Nokia Checkpoint certs dating from 2001... if there's a shortcut for time that only sacrifices 10% of performance, I'll take it.

How locked down is a Technicolor - does anyone know?
 
Yep same here. I got another well-intentioned but rather under-supported chap on the phone, who said "I can definitely raise a ticket for you now" but couldn't answer anything else.

From what I'm reading from the good folks here, I'm concluding that should expect new kit - is that just the modem or will they replace the Linksys bits as well?

(I'm in strife already with the missus for messing up her WFH with new wifi passwords and whatnot, I need to know whether to prime her for a day at the office should all new kit show up)

The connection appears to be clean and fast - not sure about the Linksys mesh kit, though, doesn't seem to be as powerful as the Fritz kit I had before. Might need to run cat6 around again for a better backhaul.
I run my own wifi AP’s and router so whenever I change ISP’s there is no impact to my LAN IP addressing or SSID’s. The strategy has served me well for the last decade.
 
Day 2 - My opinion of the overall Community Fibre service is still a little uncertain.

No one got back to me to discuss 3gig kit today - I ended up calling / passed round 3 folks / speaking with a helpful guy from engineering, he said he’d escalate and call me in the AM.

Whilst I am totally familiar with the vagaries of working in tech, the fact that no one has put in writing “we couldn’t do 3Gbps on the day we said we would but we’ll fix it up by …” is bugging me.

Also, these Linksys repeaters aren’t all that - it’s not like our little house is made of uranium.

Humph.
 
Also, these Linksys repeaters aren’t all that - it’s not like our little house is made of uranium.
The Linksys Wifi mesh is decent but to get the best speeds you do need mesh system that uses wired backhaul like TP-Link M9 or Ubiquiti Unifi. Of course that requires a switch and cabling to be done but it's miles better than just using wifi to connect your access points.
 
I'll be showing up at the missus' office door with my masonry Ryobi like Frank Butcher on Christmas Day :ROFLMAO:
 
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Personally I think that anyone going for the 3gbps should be running their own router, as clearly you will be an advanced user with a 10gbps network setup or at least 2.5Gbps. Otherwise it's pointless to have that kind of service over a 1Gbps network. Have a look at the Netgate pfSense boxes:

https://www.netgate.com/appliances?...profile=*&software=pfSense+Plus&form_factor=*

I am running the 6100 on CF with no issues. Otherwise for a lower budget option you could build your own router / PC and run OPNsense on it.
Yeah the jump in cost for full 10gb internal network is a lot right now, so we're using a QNAP 10Gb/2.5Gb switch atm.
Housemate and I are both developers so 3GB is purely just to have it for the sake of having it, we upload large docker images now and then but it never really was an issue with 1GB tbh 😂

You're way too kind - I wish :D I'm a lazy part-retired nerd with Nokia Checkpoint certs dating from 2001... if there's a shortcut for time that only sacrifices 10% of performance, I'll take it.

How locked down is a Technicolor - does anyone know?

As far as I can tell there isn't any way to change the operation mode other than it being DHCP. Can't edit any the DNS servers. Not much info when I was having issues whereby it said ethernet not connected when it clearly was connected.
 
The Linksys Wifi mesh is decent but to get the best speeds you do need mesh system that uses wired backhaul like TP-Link M9 or Ubiquiti Unifi. Of course that requires a switch and cabling to be done but it's miles better than just using wifi to connect your access points.
The linksys Velop routers and access points can also provide a mesh network using wired connectivity :)
 
The linksys Velop routers and access points can also provide a mesh network using wired connectivity :)
With my old setup i was getting 450 down and up on mobile devices and 920Mb max via ethernet connection.

I decided to to move away from my Edgerouter X and 3 BT Wifi mesh discs connected via ethernet backhaul and have replaced them with 3 velops all connected via ethernet backhaul...i get just over 700Mb down and just over 600Mb up on wifi. Via ethernet im getting 945Mb both ways.

Though i think the Velop has a long way to go when it comes to refining settings on the mesh. Also, they need to allow the selection on channels 149 and up as those are now DFS zone free.
 
I have a ubiquiti Edgerouter PoE-5 and Unifi AC Pro’s. The only reason I’ve stayed with this setup is due to having multiple SSIDs and VLANs configured which isn't supported on the Velop. The unifi controller also provides a nice dashboard for monitoring and restricting bandwidth for specific devices / SSID’s.
 
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