This topic

full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:13:11 GMT

Hi. After many hours researching and speaking to endless BT people I am still confused. I currently have FFTC and then copper to the house. I’m being pushed to full fibre because all the providers say that’s all that is available on new contracts in my area.
my current copper line goes under my driveway (newly renovated). Is there someone who can advise whether they’d dig it up? Is there a free survey ?

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:20:09 GMT

@SuzyQ15

Openreach do the work, so it would depend on what they decide to do once you place your order.

See https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/full-fibre-broadband-installation-checklist

Its all explained there.

Please bear in mind that this is a BT Retail customer forum. If you plan to use a different provider, then you need to post on their user forum.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

stevebrass — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:20:45 GMT

When you say your existing copper line goes under your driveway, do you know if it is in a duct? Where it enter the property, is there any evidence of a duct - grey tubing?

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

stevebrass — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:23:57 GMT

If you check here it may give you some relevant information. See the example information attached. Plastic duct 56 is the relevant bit!

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:25:26 GMT

Thanks. My husband says it is in a duct under the driveway and comes in to the house under the concrete floor of an extension.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:27:04 GMT

Thanks I have been with BT since 1986. I am experiencing this issue with BT.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

jac_95 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:31:29 GMT

What exchange are you on? You maybe on a copper stop sell exchange. You can Find out here: https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Openreach will very likely use that duct if it's in good condition and not blocked to rod and pull the fibre optic cable to the property

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:39:54 GMT

Hi. Sorry I can’t see where this duct is mentioned on your snapshot? Thanks for the link - it says installation at my address would be ‘KC12 Assure’.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

stevebrass — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:45:01 GMT

Second line up from the bottom.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:52:19 GMT

Thanks. Mine says under ground.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

stevebrass — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:55:45 GMT

I think then if you order FTTP there would be a survey first. If it transpired that installation would entail digging up your drive, you could cancel with no penalty.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:57:29 GMT

Thanks. It actually says it’s partial under ground nothing about a duct but my husband remembers one being laid. We are with Mildenhall exchange. I don’t understand the jargon on the link - it says we are a FFTP priority area.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

Les-Gibson — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 10:59:41 GMT

@SuzyQ15wrote:
Hi. Sorry I can’t see where this duct is mentioned on your snapshot? Thanks for the link - it says installation at my address would be ‘KC12 Assure’.

A post by Blair McGregor Network Architect - Syscomm dated Thur 01-08-19 states;

"This is a marker to indicate what delivery process an order will go though and is provided to us (CPs) by Openreach.

KCI2 is the stage at which a committed date for delivery is agreed, barring any unforeseen issues."

Ref: KCI2 Assure :: Fibre Broadband :: think broadband

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

jac_95 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 11:22:58 GMT

Yes that exchange is one of the first trial exchanges in the UK to have restrictions imposed by Openreach on what technology the broadband and voice services can be ordered.

Have a look at https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/retiring-the-copper-network

Essential for voice service (i.e house phone) this now can only be delivered over the Internet (VoIP) and can't use the traditional PSTN network that you used today.

Also as FTTP full fibre is available to your property it looks like that even though FTTC fibre infrastructure is there and what you have today they won't let communication providers renew/create orders for a FTTC based product and instead will only accept FTTP full fibre products to be ordered. As shown below

Exchange MILDENHALL is served by Cabinet 29

Featured Products	Downstream Line Rate(Mbps)		Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)		Downstream Handback Threshold(Mbps)	WBC FTTC Availability Date	WBC SOGEA Availability Date
Featured Products	High	Low	High	Low
VDSL Range A (Clean)	80	76.8	20	19	71.8	Unavailable	Available
VDSL Range B (Impacted)	80	75	20	19	68.4	Unavailable	Available
G.fast Range A (Clean)	--	--	--	--	--	Unavailable	--
G.fast Range B (Impacted)	--	--	--	--	--	Unavailable	--

Featured Products	Downstream Line Rate(Mbps)	Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)	Downstream Range (Mbps)	Availability Date	FTTP Install Process
WBC FTTP	Up to 1000	Up to 220	--	Available	1 Stage

Other Offerings	Availability Date
VDSL Multicast	Available

Exchange Product Restrictions	Status
FTTP Priority Exchange	N
WLR Withdrawal	Y
SOADSL Restriction	Y

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is restricted at the exchange

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG premises served by 2.5 Inch plastic duct 56.

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

The Stop Sale date for IPstream is from 31 Dec 2012. The Formal Retirement date for IPstream is from 30 Jun 2014.

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

Mildenhall exchange:Only single order products are available and ADSL and ADSL2+ products are not shown as available.However for premises that can only be served by SOADSL, BT will continue to accept ADSL and ADSL2+ orders until SOADSL is available.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

Addy — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 11:15:23 GMT

Hi,

on the second line D56 refers to 50mm grey duct/conduit. There would be room in that to draw in the fibre cable. Partial May mean they may need to check the ducted route outside of your boundary i.e in the pavement or road back to where they would connect the fibre cable to supply you.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

Starwire — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 14:28:19 GMT

A Pre Visit Survey, or Step 1, Rod and Rope as Openreach call it only happens on a L2C if the person who Surveyed the PON checked the Box for your CPE to Require a Survey.

As the Wholesale Checker says it’s a One Stage I’d hazard a guess it’s been marked down as being served by Duct 56.

When surveying PONS it’s impossible to check every individual property, Surveyors will usually check 2 or 3 properties on the street then assume they’re all built the same.

You mention yours comes up into the house in the Porch. That’s unusual, unless you live in NI.

Usually the Duct goes to the outside wall, was it there originally and then have a Porch built over/around it?

If it’s the latter you may have problems, used to come across that more often than not when I worked for Openreach SD. Unfortunately Builders have a nasty habit of blocking the Duct Entry Point. The only options to get FTTP into the property was dig up outside of the homeowner lifts up the floors blocking access to the original duct entry point.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 14:53:03 GMT

Sorry but you have used so many abbreviations that I do not understand. I am a BT customer, not an engineer. 😂
The wholesale ‘thing’ for my address doesn’t mention duct (that was someone else’s example, trying to help). Mine says ‘partial direct in ground’
We leave lived here since 1986. The phone lines were installed long before we built an extension. The line goes from the street connection, then under my driveway and then under the concrete floor of the extension. The phone connection is also buried under the concrete floor (my husband just extended the cable). He doesn’t think you can do this rod and rope thing. And there’s no telegraph poles in our street.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

licquorice — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 15:04:13 GMT

Where the copper line enters the house is somewhat irrelevant. I suspect what will happen is the duct will be intercepted where the new external wall has been built. The external splice point box will be attached to the wall at a suitable point, a hole drilled and the ONT (optical modem) fitted at a location agreed with the installer.

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

SuzyQ15 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 15:22:24 GMT

Thanks. Yes I understand that. But they would have to take up part of the driveway (where it meets the house wall) to find the duct and connect. I understand how it will then enter the house.
However, I’ve recently spent a lot of money having my driveway renovated (I wish I had known about this issue beforehand) and I am worried that OpenReach will not return the paving to such good order.
Is a site survey possible prior to making any order? Would I have to make the order and cancel within the cooling off period?
As I apparently live in a Fibre priority area - do I have other options?

Re: full fibre dig up driveway?

Les-Gibson — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 16:21:40 GMT

If the telephone cable is ducted then they will probably shoot the fibre through using compressed air (assuming there are no obstructions or tight bends in the duct), I would then expect it to emerge from the same place that your telephone cable emerges