topic Poor installation – black cable on white building facade in Everything else

Poor installation – black cable on white building facade

ze8tre — Mon, 04 May 2026 09:05:04 GMT

I recently had fibre installed by a Plusnet/Openreach engineer. Unfortunately the cable that was run along the outside of my building is black, despite all existing cables on the facade being white. The black cable stands out badly against the white exterior and my neighbours have raised complaints about it. The building is a white, Victorian house.

I don't think this is an acceptable standard of installation – the cable should have been matched to the existing infrastructure, or the engineer should have flagged the issue before proceeding.

I'd like Plusnet to arrange for Openreach to return and replace the cable with a white one, or run it through white trunking. Could someone from the Plusnet Help Team advise on how to get this resolved please?

Re: Poor installation – black cable on white building facade

Gel — Mon, 04 May 2026 11:34:18 GMT

Their standard cable colourway. Didn't you raise at time of instillation?
Perhaps get a paint brush out!

Re: Poor installation – black cable on white building facade

ze8tre — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:17:45 GMT

thanks for your swift reply. i'm not sure I understand what you mean by "Their standard cable colourway"? And no I didn't raise at time of installation, I unfortunatly didn't pay attention to it, it was raised by my neighbours who are complaining. Since it's outside and unprotected from the elements, I doubt paint will last long and it will soon look very messy. Moreover, paint chemicals can damage cables overtime. The best solution here is to change the cable. The cable literally runs in the middle of the white façade, and every other cables there are white, so it's pretty clear white cables are as standard as black, it's quite strange the installation service wouldn't think about this

Re: Poor installation – black cable on white building facade

mystreet1 — Mon, 04 May 2026 14:13:41 GMT

Quick search
Yes, white external fibre cable exists, but it is uncommon. While professional installers (like Openreach) typically use durable black UV-resistant cable for exterior walls, you can purchase white, external-grade fiber optic cables. Most white fiber cables are designed for indoor use (white LSZH), but specialized exterior-grade white cable is available.Key PointsAvailability: White fiber optic cables are available online from retailers like Amazon (e.g., Elfcam, FiberShack) and specialized cable retailers.External vs. Internal: Most, but not all, white cables are for indoor use. If using white cable outside, ensure it is UV-resistant (usually made from polyethylene, PE).Professional Installations: Providers generally stick to black cable for external walls because it lasts longer in direct sunlight.Alternatives: If the white cable is required for aesthetic reasons on a white wall, you may need to purchase your own cable and, if necessary, paint it, or ask the installer to hide the cable inside a white conduit