This topic

BT Fibre over Copper Cable

SteveDaviesUK — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 22:30:15 GMT

I currently just have a copper phone line from BT. I have recently placed an order for BT Fibre Broadband 75mb and Digital Voice service.

I have been told that they would be running the service over my existing copper telephone cable.

I know all the telegraph poles on the estate have had fibre run to them a few months ago by Openreach, so full fibre is now available.

I presume there will be just a short run with the existing copper cable to the telegraph pole, then it will connect to the Fibre cable.

My question for anyone else with this setup is:

1) will I actually get a reliable 75mb service with this setup ?

2) Are BT doing this to save money rather than running a new fibre cable to my house ?

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

36ULW — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 05:09:17 GMT

If you’re getting Full Fibre, which it sounds like you are they will run a brand new Fibre Cable from the Pole to your house.

They will put a CSP in the outside wall and from there run another Fibre Cable inside where it will terminate into an ONT. An ONT, which your Smart Hub will plug into. An ONT needs a Mains Power Supply.

I think when they say they will run it over your existing Copper Line they’re talking about the rule where the Installer is supposed to follow the same cable route with the Fibre Cable that your existing Copper Cable takes.

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

iniltous — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 07:13:50 GMT

As stated , if you are getting fibre to the premises ( FTTP ) then it’s fibre to the ONT , a new piece of kit that is fitted inside your home , no copper pair from the pole or anywhere else …either you have misunderstood or the customer service representative ( who are not engineers ) have not made a good job of explaining what’s being provided, but are you sure FTTP is available, having seen the equipment being installed on the pole isn’t necessarily ‘proof’ of FTTP availability….if BT called it ‘full fibre’ when you ordered it , then fair enough, but 80Mb F2 is delivered over FTTC and FTTP , and FTTC would explain the copper pair to your house comment.

You can check if your address has WBC FTTP here

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

SteveDaviesUK — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:14:14 GMT

Yes I have checked and Full fibre is available to my address.

The BT Sales lady I spoke to said she had to put in a request to Openreach to see if the service could be run over my existing Copper telephone cable, she phoned me back 4 or so hours later to say it was ok and put the order on the system.

I find it odd that they wouldn't replace the Copper cable with fibre so it would be future proofed if I ever wanted/needed an higher speed in the future.

Do you know the maximum speed you can get over a Copper cable and would it be a reliable speed ?

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

imjolly — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:23:57 GMT

@SteveDaviesUK

can you please post the results of the dslchecker including the notes as it seems unusual if FTTP is available that you will continue with FTTC - fibre to cabinet and copper to your home. the packages cost the same whether FTTC or FTTP

use the camera icon to upload images

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

36ULW — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:36:48 GMT

Are you actually getting FTTP or not?

If you’re getting an FTTC Service why would they come and put a Fibre Cable up to your house if you’re not going to be using it?

If you want a Fibre Cable then order that.

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

licquorice — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:43:32 GMT

You cannot join a fibre cable to copper. Light doesn't travel well through metal.

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

SteveDaviesUK — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 15:40:30 GMT

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

SteveDaviesUK — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 15:49:38 GMT

Yes I have ordered BT Full Fibre 2 with a speed of 74mb plus digital voice. All I am asking is if they run broadband to my home using the existing copper cable, am I likely to get a reliable speed ?

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

licquorice — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 16:03:48 GMT

You are getting full fibre, you will not be connected via the copper cable. Whoever told you that you were was talking total nonsense.

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 16:04:15 GMT

@SteveDaviesUK

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

It does not involve any copper wiring to the house.

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 16:10:15 GMT

The checker shows that a hoist is required, possibly because the pole is unsafe to climb or to access your property. I suspect his may be why BT needed to check with Openreach & then wires were crossed as to why?

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

countrypaul — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 17:48:43 GMT

@SteveDaviesUK

Check your order carefully, if it says "Full Fibre 2" then it will be a new cable and an ONT that requires a 13A socket near by for power. You do not need to have the ONT where your existing telephone socket is, you can negotiate with the BT engineer where you want it to a certain degree.

If it just says "Fibre 2" then it will be copper from the cabinet to your telephone socket as you currently have. "Fibre 2" is also known as FTTC and VDSL, the maximum speed will be 80Mb/s but it is dependant on distance to the cabinet, state of the copper wires etc.

his "Fibre" vs "Full Fibre" causes a lot of confusion as people are often unaware that the slight difference is a huge difference in technology and performance.

FYI - We have FTTC/VDSL/Fibre 2 and get a speed of around 70Mb/s with a high degree of reliability (until the power cable to the exchange where our cabinet is failed). The exchange and cabinet are about 400m away at the entrance to our road.

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

imjolly — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 19:18:03 GMT

@countrypaul

As FTTP is available at the address openreach will install FTTP with this renewal of broadband package not change the FTTC

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

SteveDaviesUK — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 23:53:45 GMT

Thanks for this reply, it now makes sense to me.

Yes the order I placed does say Fibre 2 so as you say, it will run over the existing copper cable, it would make more sense for BT to call it "Copper 2".

I'm really surprised they do this because if I find the speed inadequate within the 14 day cooling off period I will either cancel it or go for one of the higher speed broadband versions which will mean another engineer coming out to replace the copper cable with a fibre cable.

You would think they would future proof the installation by using a fibre cable, but I guess they save money using the existing copper cable I already have.

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

iniltous — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 08:02:10 GMT

You should be provided with FTTP as a new or recontracted customer in an FTTP area , it doesn’t matter if the speed profile you want ( F2 80Mb ) can also be delivered by FTTC , there is no need to order 150/300/500/900 Mb to to get FTTP it should be the default, even for 40 and 55Mb speeds, so if you are getting F2 over copper and FTTP is available ( and it appears it is ) then I would be asking BT why they are (apparently ) giving you FTTC when FTTP is available, as this shouldn’t be the case .

Currently on BT’s website the price for 150Mb is only £1 a month more than the 80Mb service and bizarrely 55Mb is more expensive than both 80 and 150Mb.

As 150Mb is only available on FTTP ( or Gfast but that’s no longer for sale ) , then personally I would change my order to 150Mb and see what BT do about that ……Openreach incentivises providers like BT to use FTTP once it’s available, to provide FTTC in these circumstances makes no sense whatsoever

Re: BT Fibre over Copper Cable

countrypaul — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 11:50:09 GMT

As @iniltous and @imjolly have said (along with others) it would be surprising for FTTP not to be installed and @SteveDaviesUK to remain on copper given that Fibre is preferred. I read somewhere, maybe this forum, that there is a shortage of telegraph poles in the country affecting not jus OR but many companies. Perhaps by remaining on copper OR can avoid replacing the telegraph pole(s) but allow BT an upgrade in the short term.

Just speculation on my behalf.