FTTP Installation in block of flats

[Jams90]

My contract is due to end in a few months with PlusNet standard FTTC broadband, looking at deals I notice BT full fibre is now available at my address but I have a couple of questions.

If I order the broadband and the installation date will be after my contract ends with PlusNet will they offer me a normal broadband package to use until the installation is complete? My current contract nearly doubles in June so I need to cancel by then.

Secondly I live on the 5th floor and top floor of a block of flats. I have access to the loft and it looks like the current wiring goes into there through a central room behind the lift shaft (1st picture) the 2nd picture shows where the wiring goes down the wall to the master socket shown in the 3rd picture. I believe this was installed not that long ago before I moved in, you can see the plasterboard has been cut in line with where the white tube goes down. From my understanding I will need a new socket installed for full fibre, will they be able to use the existing ducting for this and place the box near the master socket or will they simply replace the master socket with the new one? I don't need a phoneline. 

If anyone has experience with this do you think this will be a straight forward install? My main concern was getting the cable up to the 5th floor but as it looks like everything runs up through the middle of the building and then into my loft that should hopefully be fine. 

 

[Starwire]

Is WBC FTTP from BT (via the Openreach Access Network) actually available to you?

You live in what they refer to as a MDU, Multi Dwelling Unit. Getting FTTP into those can be complicated and costly. 

The complications usually come down to getting permission for the work to be done, mostly because of who owns the building, who manages it, who owns the lease hold, etc. 

If it is available to you then the FTTP Set up in MDU’s is different than what you’d get in your typical 3 bed semi on a Retro Fit Site. Yeah you still get the ONT but the type of fibre they use, Invisi Fibre and some of the joint boxes, or CSP’s are different as well.

[Jams90]

It shows WBC FTTP is available to me and they note it's a MDU. I don't really want to order if it's going to be a massive hassle to be honest.

[Starwire]

It’s says it’s available so it’s most likely the complicated part that involves getting permissions and all that other nonsense may have already been sorted out.

I’ll be honest I have little experience in the installation on MDU FTTP. From what I’ve seen and read up on is they usually have Build Teams go in first and cable up the entire building and put Connection/Splice Points to outside each flat. When you order it an Installation Engineer then runs a fibre from there inside your flat using Invisi Fibre. 

[Starwire]

This explains it.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2021/04/full-fibre-uk-isp-hyperoptic-adopt-invisilight-to-cut-...

[Jams90]

I've just checked and the 2 blocks of flats next to me both say FTTP on demand so it seems weird that mine is the only one with it available. Hopefully that means someone has already had it installed in my block and the wiring is all done.

There's definitely a central comms/service room for each floor where all the other cables run up. In the 1st picture where all the cables enter into my flat you can make out the top of a ladder in a service room.

Assuming it is straight forward to run the cable up the comms rooms and into my loft with all the other cables, my main question is - will it be possible to feed the fibre cable from the loft down the same plastic tube as my current copper cable and then replace the Openreach master socket with the new ONT? Or just install the ONT alongside the existing master socket?

[Starwire]

Just order it and see what happens.