Full fibre cable laying in garden

[Mattiesmomma]

Hi we have noticed our neighbours who have full fibre installed via openreach that the ducting containg the fibre cables has been fitted under a single layer of chippings say 2 cm and have noticed over period of time the grey ducting is visible.

ive looked but cannot find BT guidelines on how deep is should be laid.   Mixed advice from BT they say contractors who lay cable come on a booked appointment and week later  engineer connects it up  on booked day and does relevant work in property. BT also contradicts that also they say contractors just turn up without warning and dig were they want, not suitable for us as we need to be there

Any experiences or advise please

Thanks

[Keith_Beddoe · Accepted solution]

@Mattiesmomma 

Its not BT Retail that provide the external network, its Openreach.

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

You would need to contact them, if you have any issues.

[mikemod]

Openreach supplied me ducting and I put it in myself, they recommended I put it down at least 250mm which I did.

I just used a turf cutter to lift the lawn and then put it all back.

[Mattiesmomma]

Thanks for quick reply.

We are with BT who are you with?

As you wanted to do the ducting yourself maybe strange question here did you tell them(your provider) or just go ahread and do it or contact open reach  direct?

My husband is in the same mind as you and want to do the digging himself?

[Mattiesmomma]

I thought so

[mikemod]

Openreach came out to do the survey and I suggested I put it in myself, they were happy  with that and supplied the ducting.

It was more complicated for me as I had a 300M lane to get up before I even got to the lawn.

[Mattiesmomma]

Hi again

You said openreach came to do survey, I take it your with BT like me, Last year when I called BT they said under no circumstances would BT come and do survey and said once I agreed over phone to it being done Im given permission to whoever Openreach use to do the digging and dig up whatever they want like plants, chipping laid etc, basically their choice to dig wherever  without prior warning of what date they would come as we need to be in to `supervise` this before BT engineer come and connects us up for FF.

At this point BT got a little stressed (annoyed with me I think).

We have noticed neighbours near us have had it done one just had chippings moved then cable laid, actually you can still see the grey outer cabling so its not buried.  The other they dug a trench up the front garden not in a straight line lol but that will settle.

  How deep did you lay the cable they gave you?  Ive read it should be 25cm deep

Can you explain the process you used to be able to get the outer cable from Openreach?  Did this conversation take place over the phone with BT before you placed  your order?

Look forward to the answers and sorry for so many questions

Jean X

[licquorice]

You seem to be confusing BT and Openreach.

BT will have no involvement in the provision of your service other than placing an order for the work to be done by Openreach. It is  exactly the same process whatever ISP used.

[iniltous]

https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/new-dam-(not-in-use-yet)/documen...

Perhaps your neighbour requested their install was not buried at the appropriate depth or the contractor or direct labour were less that conscientious, but if your neighbour is not satisfied they can always complain to whoever they ordered service with .

I suspect you are predicting issues that probably will never arise, if a 2 stage install , on the first visit the OR or contract labour won’t start digging without first consulting householder , depending on the situation it’s entirely possible the first stage never proceeds if ( for example ) the householder makes a request that cannot be fulfilled, for example an imprinted concrete drive covers the entire frontage of the property and the customer would that replacing completely as it’s not possible to install through concrete without leaving a ‘scar’ , if the route from footpath to house wall is simply  through a lawn ( for example ) within weeks there wouldn’t be any evidence that the lawn was ever disturbed and although the householder may elect to be on site it’s probably not necessary in that case .

FYI , the first stage is a survey and preparation work , it’s not a 3 stage , survey , you think about it , agree or disagree with the proposal, then the excavation, then the install , the first stage people will arrive with the expectation that you will agree to the work , they do the work to get a cable and duct to the house wall , and the second stage completes the installation, if you are going to make ‘unreasonable’ demands , then chances are the job will be cancelled .