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Message 1 of 9

Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

Hi all

Wondering if anyone with technical knowledge or previous experience would be able to tell me if fibre install is possible. Essentially, Virgin Media rocked up for the pre-install and said they couldn't drill through tiles but the engineer would speak to his manager after sending some photos. I phoned up customer service on day of appointment and was told they had rescheduled for a few weeks later (no further notes), which I presume means it's not an actual 100% no; however was a little cheesed so cancelled with VM.

I've since booked with BT as I can see there's two Openreach boxes on the outside already. Unfortunately the appointment is not for another two weeks and I'd rather save some heartbreak if it's going to be impossible!

This is the block - I am on the top floor: https://cdngeneral.rentcafe.co.uk/DocumentManager/3/...

Any advice/help would be much appreciated.

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Message 2 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

If you are asking can a cable from the telegraph pole be connected to a roof tile , then the answer is No , if the question is not about where the cable will attach to the building , but you want to get the cable inside your property via a hole in a roof tile  , that won’t happen either …that’s not to say it’s impossible to provide service , but you can’t run a cable to the building cable and  attach it to a roof tile or push it through a hole drilled through a roof tile , provision would have to done in a different way ….probably involving permission from someone other than yourself, the building freeholder , management company, even another resident, possibly the one below your flat .

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Message 3 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

Telephone cables used to be inserted through holes drilled in the (then) wooden window frames. Is this not possible with fibre optic cables - or does the predominate plastic of modern window frames preclude this?
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Message 4 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

Presumably you down own the whole of the top floor, how is the other half of the top floor served?

Have you asked the owners?

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Message 5 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

Hey - they have FTTC according to the BT wholesale website.

Some of the flats below us have FTTP installed presumably through the black poles.

My own status on the wholesale website is Single Dwelling Unit Residential OH External CBT Complex L2C. So I guess it’s known it won’t be a simple install if possible although I don’t know it this site ever says unserviceable for properties?
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Message 6 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

When you have a MDU (multiple dwelling unit ) with a telegraph pole outside , although it’s potentially possible to feed each unit from the pole  ( provided each unit has a wall /aspect that faces the pole ) it’s a much neater job ( if internal cabling isn’t really a possibility ) to provide a block on the wall , often served from the pole , that way instead of (for example) in a block of 12 units having 12 cables from the pole one to each unit looking an eyesore , you have 1 cable from the pole to a wall block , then you cable on wall (cow) from the block to each individual unit , so it’s much less visually intrusive , there may be a mix though , some units from the pole , some units from a wall block , this depends on the person who did the survey .
The survey note says 
Single Dwelling Unit Residential OH External CBT Complex L2C
This indicates that this is the method for your flat within the MDU , is from an external wall block not a telegraph pole , as you are on the top floor chances are scaffolding or a hoist will be needed to get a cable from the wall block to your flat .

Virgin may not have the same set up , or they may not bother with jobs that require extra expense, like hoists , scaffolding etc , that’s not really anything that can be commented on on this  BT forum you would have to take that up with them , but just because Virgin had problems doesn’t mean Openreach will , but it is a ‘complex’ installation and will need a installation survey as well as the previous network survey, Virgin don’t use Openreach network.

Its not likely in a MDU that any individual unit would be excluded , but if it were the case  , there just wouldn’t be a survey note for that individual unit , so no way for an ISP to order FTTP for that unit 

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Message 7 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

@iniltous that sounds vaguely hopeful! Not like the VM engineer who pretty much just said flat out no it’s not possible. 

On the top floor there is a light box and I noticed a cable running out of it - assume it’s unrelated though and that wouldn’t be an entry point. 

I really should have looked this all up before signing this tenancy. I just wrongly assumed after 5 years of blissful Hyperoptic that all properties would just be easy serviced. Lesson learned. 

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Message 8 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

Difficult to give anything more as the image hasn’t enough detail, and depending on when it was taken may not show the FTTP equipment ….at this point all you can do is hope for a successful resolution, you may find as the complex nature of installation is already known , OR or one of its contractors turn up in advance and do some preparatory work , that is if the survey note stated KCI2 (two stage )if its single stage they may attempt to wing it on the day
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Message 9 of 9

Re: Has anyone had successful install with external tiles

@iniltous says on the wholesale site it’s one stage install process. No KPI’s on there yet. Thanks for all your help. 

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