FTTP route discussion with Openreach

[#1]

Hi

I have been with Plusnet for about 20 years and I'm excited to get FTTP installed at home.

Our 80s estate is all underground services.

There was a new chamber installed for the fibre node in our court in November.

My install date was the 2nd Jan but an engineer randomly turned up before Christmas and said that there would need to be some digging done to get to my house from the chamber and the easiest entry point would be at the wall on my driveway. He said it was going to be expensive for them and they would be in touch soon. I have heard nothing since.

I have a Router, switch and NAS drive etc in a cabinet at the rear of my house and really wanted the entry point to be there. I didn't think of using trunking from the phone socket to the cabinet when we renovated the house.

I am more than willing to dig the trench myself from the road rather than have a cable tacked right round my house.

How do I get in touch with Openreach to discuss and make a plan with them?

I'm concerned that they will turn up when I'm not in and start digging.

[#2]

Where is this fibre chamber in relation to the current phone chamber? Where does your current phone line enter you property?

[#3]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to Everything Else.

[#4]

The current phone socket is on the wall next to the drive. It comes up from the floor with the gas and electric and soil pipe.

There are no old BT chambers in our court. There is a shoebox size, old looking chamber in the entrance to the estate. The engineer said that the cables were direct buried with no ducting in the ground and that's why a new chamber was installed about 25 metres from my house to supply the court. 

[#5]

Ah - DIG, the scourge of 80's installations.

Unfortunately, there is no way to contact OR directly for end-users - they only talk to ISPs - maybe the best suggestion is to ask Plusnet to chase this up for you.

[#6]

Any idea what option to take? 

I tried to contact them first but none of the options applied to me or just sent me back to the beginning. That's why I tried the community.

I really miss being able to raise a ticket. One of the best bits about PlusNet

[#7]

@Teasy1980 

Login to your PN account and then check for questions

https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=search

What does the Checker say for your property?

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

What is the message to the right of WBC FTTP?

What does the narrative below the results window say about FTTP?

Brian

[#8]

As I  am no longer a PN customer, I don't know the options - sorry - but there should be one to chase an order up/discuss it? 

[#9]

@Teasy1980 

There’s no reason why your Router has to be installed next to your ONT. As long as you use CAT 5e or better Ethernet cable you can use up to 100m of cable. 
In my case I had the ONT installed in a convenient place for Openreach then routed an Ethernet cable back out through the wall on a circuitous route to the Router, I used about 20/30 m of cable. So, you could dig in your own duct and use it for your own Ethernet WAN connection to the Router. Just make sure that if you use indoor cable it is ducted all the way. Alternatively, use exterior grade cable.

[#10]

Thanks for the link. I can now see from the tickets what's going on and why my install is delayed.

I have spoken to PlusNet and they have contacted Openreach to get in touch with me within two working days about my request. 

[#11]

Thanks.

I had thought about the ONT being at the phone socket location but not considered taking my own ethernet outside then back in.

We installed ethernet throughout the house when we renovated it. Everything plastered in. If I had only used CAT5 to extend the phone line instead of phone cable.

Fibre was only a dream back then.

[#12]

@Teasy1980 

I hope that you meant CAT5e. CAT 5 is rated at100Mbps. If you used 8 core CAT 5 then you may be in with a chance of using it over short distances at 1Gbps. If it’s early 4 core stuff then you will be stuck with 100Mbps.

Some may tell you that you can transfer data over 4 core telephone cable at 100Mbps. I tried it once without success.

[#13]

It's CAT5e. Cheers. 😊

[#14]

@Teasy1980 

Good to hear things are sorted (for now!!!).

Do let us know how the install goes. If you need any further help you know where we are.

Brian