This topic

FTTP install and front steps

rhomb — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:05:10 GMT

Currently have FTTC and am switching ISP.

Had to order FTTP because there is a stop-sell on my exchange and the BTW checker says there is a duct to my property.

An (openreach?) engineer came to visit and said a different type of engineer needs to visit because the cable is ‘cemented in with the front door steps’. He couldn’t answer much more.

Can anyone give more info?
Who will come and any idea how exactly they could sort it?
Will there be damage or cosmetic damage?
Do I have the right to insist on FTTC if so?

Thanks!

Re: FTTP install and front steps

iniltous — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:08:56 GMT

If you are changing provider and FTTP is required to take service from this new ISP (this is a common situation , having to take FTTP ) but who is that new ISP ?, if it’s not BT then clearly your question although about Openreach , is for the new ISP , BT are not interchangeable terms, if you are leaving BT , then it’s nothing to do with BT , and all your questions relate to the new service not your old BT service .

Re: FTTP install and front steps

rhomb — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:11:22 GMT

The new ISP is BT.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

iniltous — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:44:14 GMT

If you have a ducted feed but part of it is inaccessible because some steps were built after the duct was provided, and some of the duct is under the step and inaccessible, the solution is to intercept the duct before the step and lay some new duct from the interception point to the house wall , obviously without knowing the exact situation, like is the area paved or lawned , and where the duct runs in relation to the different surface types , ( if there are different surfaces) then it’s impossible to know what cosmetic damage may result, but excavation almost certainly needs to be done to get FTTP if the construction of step has effectively stopped the duct being used as it is.

As far as staying on FTTC , that’s possible but not with a new provider, you would cancel your FTTP and stay with your current provider , possibly on an out of contract basis , because renewing with them , much like a new provider will need FTTP to be fitted .

You could probably remain as you are (paying whatever the existing ISP charges ) and letting your current contract continue for quite a while , it would be like you never ordered anything , but you would need to also reject any offer your existing ISP made to upgrade to FTTP , so basically they would have you hostage paying whatever they ask as moving or renewing means FTTP .

Re: FTTP install and front steps

rhomb — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:52:16 GMT

Thanks. Who pays to do all this construction work to a reasonable standard? I’m guessing not me since I don’t have a choice realistically?

The area is paved as in the photo. The house and duct were newly built 20 years ago and nothing has been changed since. The duct wouldn’t have been designed to come up randomly in front of the front doors would it? so I would assume the duct ends directly under where the grey box is but wasn’t continued high enough. It may be if the one stone slab is removed the duct will be exposed and can be made to continue up through the slab?

Re: FTTP install and front steps

WSH — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:57:03 GMT

@rhomb It will be a while before the rest of us can see the photo. Pictures go into quarantine initially until a moderator releases it. Only yourself, the moderators and the Community Leaders can see it in the meantime.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

imjolly — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:31:04 GMT

is that your phone cable entering your home to right of front door - grey cover?

Re: FTTP install and front steps

iniltous — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:33:26 GMT

It doesn’t really matter if the duct ends at ground level under the step and the cable is not enclosed for the height of the step or the duct continues from ground level for the height of the step so in affect the duct is the same height as the step , the assumption is the duct is now unusable in its entirety from the footpath to the house wall at the top of the step , so as stated , at some point , the duct (before it reaches the step) is exposed and a new section joined onto it that runs to the house wall away from the step (possibly the left hand side of the door below the carriage light ) , so the optical cable hits the house wall in a different location to the copper cable , there is no reason the optical cable ingress has to be where the copper cable enters the house .

As far as who pays for this , Openreach do , although there is a limit to these costs , in a situation like yours this is simply normal business, it’s nothing particularly out of the ordinary and the possible few hundred ££ in costs are simply absorbed as the cost of supplying service, if it were a few thousand ££ it’s a different matter .
It’s entirely possible, that should you continue your order journey the ‘gang’ of civils workers before starting the excavation to expose the duct before the step will attempt (with your permission) disassembling the step (to a certain extent) or making further efforts to use the existing duct , as clearly they would prefer to make the existing duct in its entirety usable rather than installing new portion of duct …the point is you need to be aware of , is excavation is the likely outcome, so if the possibility of excavation is unacceptable, cancel now to save everyone involved time and effort (including yours), reinstatement can be virtually imperceptible in some surfaces , not so much in others (block paving is relatively forgiving as blocks can be taken up and put back down ) something like imprinted concrete can’t be reinstated without some ‘scars’ …grass is the easiest as it soon grows back but that seems to be unlikely looking at your photo.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

rhomb — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:23:12 GMT

Thanks, I will wait till I have an actual proposal for the necessary works before deciding whether to proceed or cancel.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

iniltous — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:39:48 GMT

The point is you won’t get a proposal until the civils gang turn up expecting to expose the existing duct somewhere in your ‘garden’ , you now know what’s involved and what to expect , so continuing with your order and then cancelling when they say ‘we need to dig to expose the duct’ seems a little entitled, obviously at this point you will have some input , if a range of options are available, but ultimately you should assume excavation somewhere on your property is most likely, after-all you can hardly state when they turn up ‘I didn’t realise that would be necessary’ as you do know it likely to be necessary , but ultimately it’s your choice .

Re: FTTP install and front steps

rhomb — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:39:53 GMT

You have no right to say I an entitled, how rude. If BT don’t bother to communicate with their customer, explain things and get permission before digging up their property that’s their problem not mine. As if I should worry about a huge corporation’s margins because of that basic incompetence!

Re: FTTP install and front steps

iniltous — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:43:34 GMT

It’s not rude , it’s not incompetence, to point out that digging is most likely necessary, and for you to continue with your order knowing that you will refuse to allow any digging (if that’s your intention ) is something , if its not entitlement what would you call it ?

FWIW , it’s Openreach not BT that provides the network and any work necessary.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

36ULW — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:50:03 GMT

I can virtually guarantee the Civils Team, be it Openreach DL or Contractors will not dismantle those steps leading up to the front door.

I’d imagine what they’ll do is Track and Locate the Duct using a Cat & Genny before it gets to the steps, dig down on it, break into the duct and then divert it to the external wall.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

rhomb — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:54:57 GMT

Thanks, depending on where the duct runs and the cleanness/messiness left afterwards that could be acceptable. Good to be informed before I get an actual proposal.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

rhomb — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:02:09 GMT

1. I never said I would refuse any digging.

2. I never said you were incompetent.

3. You said it may be possible they can do it without digging the drive.

4. You said the team are going to show up without BT or anyone telling me what will happen or checking I am ok with it. That is what I said is incompetent. I have no obligation to worry about their ‘time and effort’ arranging this just because they didn’t communicate and check with me.

5. I am a customer of BT not openreach. It is BT who should communicate with me that’s why I said BT, but anybody will do.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

licquorice — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:06:21 GMT

I think you have totally unrealistic expectations regarding item 4.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

iniltous — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:31:53 GMT

And I never said you would refuse , I said if (that’s the point I said ‘if’ ) you continued with your order knowing you would refuse excavation was an unreasonable position to take ,obviously I can’t know your intentions, I never assumed you would refuse or accept excavation, just that excavation will be the most likely outcome .

I never took your incompetence statement as personal, and it may prove to be possible to get a new cable in without digging, but that eventuality should be considered a bonus not the expected outcome , although a team may turn up without much if any notice , they don’t simply start digging without permission, and before you were appraised of how this works , you could reasonably ague it’s not your problem to worry about their wasted time and effort if they say digging is necessary and you didn’t appreciate that was the case , but you do now know that .

If it is the case they turn up and say we need to dig , and you know in advance that’s likely to be necessary, you continuing the order and you then say excavation is unacceptable, in my opinion that is entitled behaviour, but as I stated , that’s your choice , after-all you will also be wasting your own time refusing the work then cancelling your order , then potentially accepting you current provider ‘remaining as you are’ terms may be financially a poor choice.

If you (once appraised of the route of the excavation etc ) are minded to agree that’s fine ,I’d hope the majority of people who know excavation is likely will take this position, if you are minded to disallow any disruption at all , pointing out this is wasteful of both your own time as well Openreach’s doesn’t seem particularly rude , frankly I’m at a loss to understand your reaction.

Re: FTTP install and front steps

Jane2018 — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:12:50 GMT

On my installation (with community fibre (FTTP) replacing BT FTTC) I worked out where I wanted it to go, checked where the BT cabling came into the house and cleared a lot of space to help in advance and paid extra (£75 more) for fibre to the room - an extra service Community Fibre but probably not BT offer just in case there was an issue about the route I wanted (in my case through the existing BT/openreach hole into the garage, along garage wall, out the back wall through a hole, along the back wall and then into my home office where I need fastest telecoms at back of house - just about the least convenient place for any installer; but I got what I wanted and they followed the existing BT route which helped.

(By the way perhaps remove the heavy stone statue by the door as burglars love to find something heavy they can use to small glass - neighbours opposite lost all the gold in a front room almost exactly in that way - very heavy stone object kept conveniently by glass front door ready to aid a burglar).