Fibre install - downtime and hub location
Discussion
Looking at getting a fibre line installed, currently receive our phone line via a telegraph pole to the house -gable end, where it runs down the edge of the roof line and disappears into the garage to pop up in the kitchen, into a very shoddy and vulnerable wall box which is floating around by a strand or two under the cabinets!
I understand that the fibre line is run usually in the same means, via the telegraph pole, but do they strip the bt twin line at the same time as running the fibre? Ideally I'd like no downtime due to WFH so wondered if that would be likely and I could run both for a few days, or do they pull one when installing the other, resulting in a period of no service?
Lastly, any reason why I shouldn't install the hub in the loft space to avoid the external fibre cable running down the outside of the house? Currently my modem connects physically only to a mesh booster and everything else connects wirelessly.
Ta!
I understand that the fibre line is run usually in the same means, via the telegraph pole, but do they strip the bt twin line at the same time as running the fibre? Ideally I'd like no downtime due to WFH so wondered if that would be likely and I could run both for a few days, or do they pull one when installing the other, resulting in a period of no service?
Lastly, any reason why I shouldn't install the hub in the loft space to avoid the external fibre cable running down the outside of the house? Currently my modem connects physically only to a mesh booster and everything else connects wirelessly.
Ta!
I thought new fibre only came in underground off the street rather than risk the vulnerability of an overhead line that is so subject to weather damage?
For the modem/hub, I would avoid putting it in the loft if it is something you might need to periodically reset or check if it is working properly.
For the modem/hub, I would avoid putting it in the loft if it is something you might need to periodically reset or check if it is working properly.
If the fibre is provided by Openreach then presumably there won't be problem upgrading from ADSL to fibre as Openreach will know when the new service is operational.
If switching broadband from Openreach ADSL to a 3rd part fibre provider it is highly recommended to keep the ADSL service until the new fibre service is up and running and tested.
If switching broadband from Openreach ADSL to a 3rd part fibre provider it is highly recommended to keep the ADSL service until the new fibre service is up and running and tested.
s2kjock said:
I thought new fibre only came in underground off the street rather than risk the vulnerability of an overhead line that is so subject to weather damage?
For the modem/hub, I would avoid putting it in the loft if it is something you might need to periodically reset or check if it is working properly.
Fibre can certainly come in from a pole (our whole road for example), they won't be digging the street up if there aren't ducts there already.For the modem/hub, I would avoid putting it in the loft if it is something you might need to periodically reset or check if it is working properly.
Ours is overhead. Had new fibre taken to the other side of the house. Broadband worked straightaway.
The Openreach lady who installed it asked me if I wanted the copper overhead removing. I said yes, Should have left it as the phone service didn’t work on the fibre for 2 weeks and we use it quite a bit as mobile service is poor in the house.
They put the outside splice point, where they join the overhead fibre to the internal fibre, near the ground so they can get to it to make the join. I wanted it internally on our front landing but that was dismissed out of hand. So the fibre comes down the front corner of the house the back up again to go through the wall to the little ONT (fibre modem). ONT needs to be reasonably near a power socket.
The Openreach lady who installed it asked me if I wanted the copper overhead removing. I said yes, Should have left it as the phone service didn’t work on the fibre for 2 weeks and we use it quite a bit as mobile service is poor in the house.
They put the outside splice point, where they join the overhead fibre to the internal fibre, near the ground so they can get to it to make the join. I wanted it internally on our front landing but that was dismissed out of hand. So the fibre comes down the front corner of the house the back up again to go through the wall to the little ONT (fibre modem). ONT needs to be reasonably near a power socket.
Actual said:
On your mobile phones enable Wi-Fi Calling for a perfect mobile signal which uses your home Wi-Fi.
Yes, got that but it’s still iffy for incoming calls - some just go to voicemail. Also that’s relatively recent - historically we’ve always given our landline number to everyone, and to make matters worse during those 2 weeks anyone who rang our landline just got the ring tone - BT couldn’t block, it, divert it or put a message on. Sheepshanks said:
Yes, got that but it’s still iffy for incoming calls - some just go to voicemail. Also that’s relatively recent - historically we’ve always given our landline number to everyone, and to make matters worse during those 2 weeks anyone who rang our landline just got the ring tone - BT couldn’t block, it, divert it or put a message on.
We get the same issue - WiFi calling is hopeless in our house. I think I once read that it was because some phones (like by S20) prioritised the normal function instead of WiFi for the calls/SMS and because our house has intermittent signal quality, it would keep dropping the WiFi calling connection in favour of the flaky mobile service. WiFi calling works elsewhere for me if there is zero mobile signal or the phone is switched to flight mode and then the WiFi re-enabled.
It became an issue for quite a few Vodafone customers when the Sure Signal hardware was discontinued a few years ago and Vodafone told everyone to use WiFi calling.
s2kjock said:
I thought new fibre only came in underground off the street rather than risk the vulnerability of an overhead line that is so subject to weather damage?
For the modem/hub, I would avoid putting it in the loft if it is something you might need to periodically reset or check if it is working properly.
Mine is off a telegraph pole, rural areas have few/no underground cables. In fact where I live I don't even have a copper line to the house, Openreach took 6 months to provide me any internet connection due to surveys etc, even when the mast had fibre already running to it.For the modem/hub, I would avoid putting it in the loft if it is something you might need to periodically reset or check if it is working properly.
rix said:
I understand that the fibre line is run usually in the same means, via the telegraph pole, but do they strip the bt twin line at the same time as running the fibre? Ideally I'd like no downtime due to WFH so wondered if that would be likely and I could run both for a few days, or do they pull one when installing the other, resulting in a period of no service?
My fibre is BT (Openreach install) but underground not telegraph pole, and they left the existing underground cable as far as the house but it was disconnected there - i.e. the existing service was immediately terminated as part of the installation of the new service.rix said:
Lastly, any reason why I shouldn't install the hub in the loft space to avoid the external fibre cable running down the outside of the house?
By 'hub' I assume you mean the ONT as the router which is connected to the ONT by an ethernet cable can go anywhere.The Openreach installer was pretty amenable to where I wanted the ONT placed (although it did need a socket near the ONT) but I doubt that any installer would be prepared to go into a loft space to install, not least because of all the health and safety issues involved.
Have a word with the installer.
Mine comes in on a telegraph pole. He wanted to place it with the existing infrastructure, which would be nowhere near my router and switches. I got him to go up the ladder and poke it into the loft while I helped pull it through from inside.
Fiber cable went precisely where I want it
Mine comes in on a telegraph pole. He wanted to place it with the existing infrastructure, which would be nowhere near my router and switches. I got him to go up the ladder and poke it into the loft while I helped pull it through from inside.
Fiber cable went precisely where I want it
SpidersWeb said:
By 'hub' I assume you mean the ONT as the router which is connected to the ONT by an ethernet cable can go anywhere.
The Openreach installer was pretty amenable to where I wanted the ONT placed (although it did need a socket near the ONT) but I doubt that any installer would be prepared to go into a loft space to install, not least because of all the health and safety issues involved.
Which is where copious cups of tea and chocolate biscuits come into play. Junction box thirty feet left of the cable attachment point, run underneath the eaves, ONT in the loft neck to the mini rack. Was a very nice man.The Openreach installer was pretty amenable to where I wanted the ONT placed (although it did need a socket near the ONT) but I doubt that any installer would be prepared to go into a loft space to install, not least because of all the health and safety issues involved.
I have fibre with VM installed via the telegraph poles, although nearby streets that have phone lines via ducting are having VM fibre installed underground.
I waited for my VM service to be active before I cancelled my out of contract Sky DSL broadband, which I'm glad I did as VM missed the original install date by 18 days (and ended up giving me £134 credit for the missed install and delay).
I waited for my VM service to be active before I cancelled my out of contract Sky DSL broadband, which I'm glad I did as VM missed the original install date by 18 days (and ended up giving me £134 credit for the missed install and delay).
The Openreach installer generally will work with you to get a suitable location. Mine was pretty friendly. Fibre came off the same pole as the old copper telephone line and into a back bedroom, where I had the hub situated previously.
In my case at least, downtime was zero. The old FttC link stayed up whilst the new fibre optic cable was being run and I just moved everything over to the new hub once it was tested and ready.
I think the whole process only took around 2 hours or so. That was with a very easy to run connection though, if I'd wanted it taken through the attic and down to the front of the house or something, would likely have been a fair bit longer.
In my case at least, downtime was zero. The old FttC link stayed up whilst the new fibre optic cable was being run and I just moved everything over to the new hub once it was tested and ready.
I think the whole process only took around 2 hours or so. That was with a very easy to run connection though, if I'd wanted it taken through the attic and down to the front of the house or something, would likely have been a fair bit longer.
randlemarcus said:
Which is where copious cups of tea and chocolate biscuits come into play. Junction box thirty feet left of the cable attachment point, run underneath the eaves, ONT in the loft neck to the mini rack. Was a very nice man.
Did he bring the overhead cable down to near ground level for the junction box, then back up again?That's the bit that irritates me - I had mine done early on and didn't know they used two separate fibres, an overhead outdoor one and a lighter weight one for indoors, and I assumed it's be like the old copper cable and they'd just bring it in at first floor level. I'd have had it put at the side of the house if I'd known.
I was also irritated by the OR lady drillng from the inside of the house outwards and blowing half the face of brick off. Luckily she did it so agressively that it broke into 3 pieces and I was able to stick them back. If it needs a new hole and you're confident where it's going to be then I'd say to drill the hole yourself - but if drilling from the outside don't do the opposite thing and blow a load of plaster off the internal wall!
Sheepshanks said:
Did he bring the overhead cable down to near ground level for the junction box, then back up again?
My install with VM has the cable from the pole to the eaves, then down to ground level for the junction box and then back up to 1st floor. I got the impression that the junction box has to be at ground level for ease of access but they can then route up/down/across as required.Your Dad said:
Sheepshanks said:
Did he bring the overhead cable down to near ground level for the junction box, then back up again?
My install with VM has the cable from the pole to the eaves, then down to ground level for the junction box and then back up to 1st floor. I got the impression that the junction box has to be at ground level for ease of access but they can then route up/down/across as required.This video (from about 3:20 if the link doesn't work properly)
https://youtu.be/MfROrbZwtLw?si=2rYBmigYXPTED0Rt
Shows what's involved with terminating the fibre in the junction box. Certainly explains why terminating at ground level seems to be how it's done. I wouldn't want to do that job up a ladder that's for sure
https://youtu.be/MfROrbZwtLw?si=2rYBmigYXPTED0Rt
Shows what's involved with terminating the fibre in the junction box. Certainly explains why terminating at ground level seems to be how it's done. I wouldn't want to do that job up a ladder that's for sure
Ours is from a telegraph pole and sits just under the copper one which was left in place (I assume Openreach still own it?). Installers love it as it's much easier to install vs underground. If it was to get damaged it would be a piece of piss to fix/replace. As above it took 2 hours to install and get up and running.
If you want it somewhere less accessible you may have to pay extra to cover the additional installation time. Depends on the provider. I wouldn't advise hiding it in the loft though.
If you want it somewhere less accessible you may have to pay extra to cover the additional installation time. Depends on the provider. I wouldn't advise hiding it in the loft though.
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