This topic

FTTP Install

wagster — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 14:22:45 GMT

FTTP had just become available in my area so I have placed an order which is scheduled for 14th August and has been listed as a 1 stage install.

My bungalow is newish build (2015) and I am trying to work out how the install is going to work as my existing master socket is located in a utility cupboard that is in the middle of the bungalow where also the main fuse box is. The telephone and electricity cables are routed straight down into the concrete floor and looking all around the bungalow there is no sign of an external connection point.

My concern is how will they be able to run the fibre to my house if there is no sign of an exit duct on the side of the property. I don't want the engineer coming out to do the stage 1 install only to find that it cannot be done.

Any help or information is much appreciated.

Re: FTTP Install

iniltous — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 16:21:41 GMT

It would be unusual for a property built in 2015 not to have a ducted feed, but it’s not impossible that the builder/developer didn’t follow normal practice , if there were a ducted feed , the duct would appear on an external wall covered by a grey duct connector bend bend 4, capping 25 and cover 101, the cable then goes into the property through the wall, if your cable comes up through the floor that isnt the way Openreach expect service to be installed, when they supply the builder with ducts etc, major builders /developers Liaise with OR’s ‘new sites reps’ with regard to this , one man builders tend to do their own thing.
Chances are ( if you are correct and no duct ) the install will fail , and rectifying the issue could be a problem ...if your cable is direct in the ground and goes back to a joint box in that fashion, it’s not going to be the case of digging down to gain access to the duct and retro fit a duct bend against your wall, the footpaths etc may also need to be excavated.
Do you know who the builder/developer was and are neighbouring property fed in the same way ?

Re: FTTP Install

wagster — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 20:21:01 GMT

The developer is not a cowboy outfit and on our estate they have built thousands of homes of the past few years. If I look at the area which I am on which consists of around 40 bungalows that are identical, none of then have any sign of the grey ducting covers you are describing but if I go to the next streets where they have built normal houses I can see that they do have the grey ducting covers on the side of the houses. Maybe I am missing something so I guess I will have to wait until they turn up to do the install and in the meantime try and catch an openreach engineer whilst out and about to try and see if they might know something.

Re: FTTP Install

pippincp — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 21:33:37 GMT

Doubt any OR engineer you see out and about will know. You'll have to catch a Openreach FTTP engineer.

Re: FTTP Install

wagster — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:51:25 GMT

Well finally had the engineer appointment today and as predicted it was not as straight forward as we had hoped, as can be seen from the photos the ducting did actually come up inside the utility cupboard but to get to it the engineer had to dig up the concrete to find it as the stupid builders obviously didn't care about concreting over it. Was lucky that he was happy to do it as he did say that some of the other engineers would have looked and walked away without completing.

All up and running now and only took 2 hours for the engineer to complete and that also including shooting back to the depot to get the correct fibre to install.

Just need to fill in the hole with some expanding foam, lay the carpet again and put a permanent power socket in now to finish it off.

Re: FTTP Install

converse420 — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:07:29 GMT

Bravo Openreach!

Quick question, I'm intrigued, did you end up with a CSP box on the outside of your property, or did the fibre only appear via your internal duct in to the cupboard?

Re: FTTP Install

wagster — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 17:02:04 GMT

Fibre straight into the house through the duct straight to the ONT and no CSP fitted. He had to go back to the depot to get the correct fibre cable as he only had the splicing version on his van for use with a CSP.

Re: FTTP Install

converse420 — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 17:21:43 GMT

Thats great, but I guess it leaves you with a SmartHub in a closet, that might not be the optimal position for Wireless ( I note that some developers in this scenario have Cat 5x cabling where the duct lands to allow for this?)

Re: FTTP Install

wagster — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 17:40:36 GMT

I will be running cat6 cable to my own netgear nighthawk router which is already located in a different place in the house and will put the SH2 away with the other BT hubs gathering dust that I have never used. 🤣🤣

Re: FTTP Install

Starwire — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 17:41:40 GMT

Looks like the Engineers put a FFC, Field Fit Connector on instead of splicing an EZ Bend Cable to the UG Fibre Cable.

Wouldn't be my preferred choice because as I’ve said before in previous posts FFC’s have a 25% Failure Rate.

Re: FTTP Install

wagster — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 18:01:53 GMT

Yes he did go the FCC option but not for me to argue at the time😁.

Any insight into why such a high failure rate? And how?

Re: FTTP Install

Starwire — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 19:05:45 GMT

It’s because of the arch the Fibre has to make to create the connection.

To be honest I’m surprised he put one on, I thought Openreach put a stop to it and wanted all FTTP Jobs to be done via a Splice method.

Be sure to post back here when it fails, because it will sooner or later.

Re: FTTP Install

converse420 — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 18:36:27 GMT

@Starwire , is an FFC a mechanical connection (cleve /connect), or something different?

Cheers