This topic

FULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:45:16 GMT

I don't want BT Full Fibre but I am being forced to take it if I stay with BT. Before the engineer starts digging up my drive and lifting my carpets to lay a wire, will the engineer have some sort of meter which he/she can use to determine that the signal will reach all areas of my fairly large house?
Many thanks, good people.

Re: FULL FIBRE

Kodikid — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:02:22 GMT

While it's not compulsory to get FTTP it's going to become increasingly harder to avoid it

The aim is to get all households on full fibre in the next few years with FTTC being basically switched off.

Best bite the bullet and accept the inevitable

Re: FULL FIBRE

imjolly — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:13:09 GMT

how does your existing line entre your home - from pole or underground? there will certainly be no lifting of carpets

Re: FULL FIBRE

WSH — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:59:30 GMT

If your current broadband is delivered from overhead wires or an existing underground duct, they won’t need to dig up anything. They’ll more than likely reuse the existing route. (It's cheaper). For example, they’ll just push a new cable through the duct. If it is blocked or it is a wire buried Directly In the Ground, (known as DIG), then they may need to dig. If it is overhead that can also be done with fibre.

They will not lift carpets. All they will do is come through the wall and mount a new box on the wall, (called an ONT or Optical Network Terminal). This will require power and so needs to be within reach of a power point or an extension lead. It does not necessarily need to be where the old master phone socket is. The installer will discuss this with you, but he must regard it as do-able in the time allocated, (and be safe to do, of course).

The router then connects to that box instead of the old phone socket. Anything beyond that point, internal wiring, extensions etc., is your responsibility, (including any Wi-Fi setup), just as it is now.

Re: FULL FIBRE

licquorice — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:03:27 GMT

The signal in your house won't change because of a move to fibre unless you drastically change where your router is located.

FULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 19:54:49 GMT

Thank you very much, Kodikid. Good advice albeit painful. BT have made it clear I must convert to Full Fibre later this year.

RFULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:50:16 GMT

Hi imjolly. It currently enters underground but I think it highly unlikely that this will be an option this time but there is a pole nearby. If a wire ran from the pole to the gutter on my bungalow would this be high enough for BT?
The signal will have to reach 22 metres inside to cover all rooms. Is this realistic?
Does BT have a meter which would test each room for a signal before starting any work?
Thank you! Greatly appreciated.

Re: RFULL FIBRE

licquorice — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:54:30 GMT

@jimmurdochwrote:
The signal will have to reach 22 metres inside to cover all rooms. Is this realistic?
As already stated, unless you change the position of your current router, nothing changes from what you have already.
Does BT have a meter which would test each room for a signal before starting any work?
No

FULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:57:50 GMT

Hi WSH Many thanks. Will BT have a meter to test for a signal in each room before starting any work?
Is the signal likely to reach 22 metres.?

Re: RFULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:59:56 GMT

Hi licquorice, yes, unfortunately the router will be moved substantially.

RFULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:01:02 GMT

Thank you. Does BT just set things up and hope for the best?

Re: RFULL FIBRE

licquorice — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:03:17 GMT

BT don't do anything. The install is done by Openreach.

Your internal network is your responsibility not BT's.

Why does the router need to move just because you are moving to Full Fibre?

Re: RFULL FIBRE

WSH — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:40:33 GMT

As people have repeatedly said, no they will not go round with a meter. Openreach will install an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) on a wall and that is where their responsibility ends. You connect the BT hub to that. BT will send a signal to the hub and that is where their responsibility ends. In fact, they only guarantee the speed to the hub, not beyond.

There are Wi-Fi signal measuring apps you can download to a mobile phone. (Google them). When you have one installed, I suggest you position the hub where you think it will have to move to, connect it back to the current phone socket with a long cable and then go round with the mobile phone and measure the signal in each room.

Best place to position any wireless access point is as central as possible and high enough up to miss obstacles like furniture and people. Avoid putting it near water or metal, (as they absorb the signal), and avoid putting it close to other electronics.

Theoretically, the signal should go much further than 22m but a lot depends on observing the points above.

FULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:36:14 GMT

Hi Distinguished Sage,
Many thanks. The router will need to move because I can only get the wire to come in to the rear of the house.

Re: FULL FIBRE

licquorice — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:39:47 GMT

What makes you think the fibre won't enter where the copper currently does?

In any case, the router doesn't need to be where the fibre enters and the ONT is sited, the ONT and router can be up to 100 metres apart connected via Cat5E cable.

Re: FULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 21:51:16 GMT

Hi Liquorice,

The pipe runs underground at present and it looks very 'busy'.
I'll need to study the wee technical bit you offered. 🙂😀

Could WiFi boosters be the answer to all my problems? 😀 Do they work? I could stick one in each room.
🤔
Once again, thank you very much.

Re: FULL FIBRE

WSH — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:05:09 GMT

Licquorice makes a good point.

Unlike the old FTTC and ADSL days the hub does not need to be even remotely close to the ONT. You can leave it where it is provided you can run some Cat 5e/Cat 6 back to to ONT.

Why do you think the fibre will have to come in at the back of the house? As I said before, they will almost certainly follow the existing path.

Edit: If by "busy" you mean BT's checker says "Congested duct" I would ignore that. They put it in as a precautionary note when they have not bothered to do a proper survey. Mine said the same and the installer told me on the day that the duct was empty. To quote "You usually have to push it through at some point. Yours went through straightaway. Easiest I've ever done."

And, talking of BT's checker, have you looked on here and seen what the installation note at the bottom says?

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

Re: FULL FIBRE

jimmurdoch — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:10:13 GMT

Thanks WSH I note what you say about 'busy' which is correct.

Are Wi-Fi extenders any good?

Would a router signal cover a distance of 22 metres?

Re: FULL FIBRE

WSH — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:22:11 GMT

As I said, it should be capable of much more than 22m. Manufacturers like to quote 300m with clear line of sight. A lot depends on what is in the way. Old houses have solid walls, more modern ones have stud and plasterboard, (nowhere near as dense).

BT do Wi-Fi extenders. I would suggest a "mesh" system off Amazon if you are going down that route though. I'd try to position the mesh units so they can effectively "see" each other through the doorways rather than the walls.

I'm afraid I've no real experience with these though. My generation of techie was brought up to believe if you want a real network, you put wires in. You only use Wi-Fi if you are in, say, a listed building and can't drill holes in the walls. (Not that that usually stopped us).

Re: FULL FIBRE

licquorice — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:26:04 GMT

The route the fibre will take is pre-determined, it is not decided on the day, it is dependent upon where the CBT (where the other end of the fibre connects to) is located. It will almost certainly be in the chamber that your current copper connection comes from.

WiFi is not a precise science, it is very dependent on many factors that will be unique to every property.