How to join trial...

[#1]

Before letting things cool down for a while another question has occurred to me.  I have specified the Unlimited Fibre up to 38Mbps which should be fine for my modest needs, but if at some future date I feel that the faster service would be beneficial, can an update be done without any further major work being necessary?

Abacus

[#2]

Yep. That'd be a fairly straightforward process, which should be able to be done in as little as 1 working day.

I'd recommend letting us know on here or raise a ticket at trials.plus.net if you do want to upgrade as the order would need to be placed manually by someone who's trained on FTTP.

[#3]

Hopefully the install will run smoothly but in the unlikely event there is a blockage in your duct there is one thing to consider. The OR engineer will have a good idea where in the duct the blockage is - which might well be in the road and not under your drive.

As has been pointed out by Gandalf a package change is simply a system change with no "works" required.

Final though - once you have FTTP up and running you can cancel your phone line if you don't use it. Note it should be done via this forum (or your open ticket).

Brian

[#4]

So far so good. The fibre cable has now been installed and currently terminates in a small grey box on the outside of the house next to the phone entry point.  The internal work was scheduled for yesterday but has now been moved to a date yet to be fixed.  Does the internal work involve the telephone master socket, or can that remain undisturbed and the fibre cable run from the new terminal box to a completely new location within the house?  Ideally I would like to have the phone line disconnected when the fibre broadband is up and running but leave the phone socket where it is in case it is required at some point in the future.

[#5]

Remembering the ONT needs to be within one meter of a power source it can go where ever you want it within reason (and practically!!!!). The OR engineer usually works with the customer to find a suitable spot.

As for the fibre coming into the house that all depends on the location of the ONT and the customers preference. Cable can be run outside the house within reason.

For the last two installs with neighbours the fibre was brought in via the existing phone line so no drilling was required. The ONT was fitted below he Master socket so only a couple of inches of fibre was visible. The phone line is left as is.

Once up and running you can get your phone line cancelled via this forum or your install ticket (assuming it's a PlueNet line).

Brian

[#6]

Thanks Brian.  For example, could the cable be run up the outside wall, through the soffit into the loft, and down into a clothes closet off the hall?  It would be my intention to site whatever gubbins is needed in that cupboard (yes, there is a power supply) and then push an Ethernet cable through an existing duct into the hall where the router would stand.  In anticipation of this being OK I have already done the had work by putting a string from outside the premises up into the loft and down into the cupboard, so the engineer would have no need to go into the loft at all.

Abacus

[#7]

I have no idea if what you're suggesting will work. It may well depend on the engineer on the day.

Are you talking about one storey or two? If the fibre is run up the wall it needs to be fixed to the wall and I can't see an OR engineer going up two stories - Health and Safety!!!!!!!!!!!!

In post 7 of the following thread the house owner pre installed ducting and ran a rope through it. If my memory is still with me I seem to recall on his original install thread he said that on the day the engineer had to speak to his boss but was then happy to run the fibre through the ducting.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Fibre-To-The-Premises-trial/Ticket-167635277/td-p/1516059

If you want to see technical info on the ONT look at

https://www.ournetwork.openreach.co.uk/news/new-equipment-for-installing-ultrafast-broadband-in-newl...

Brian

[#8]

---

@bmc wrote:

I have no idea if what you're suggesting will work. It may well depend on the engineer on the day.

Are you talking about one storey or two? If the fibre is run up the wall it needs to be fixed to the wall and I can't see an OR engineer going up two stories - Health and Safety!!!!!!!!!!!!

In post 7 of the following thread the house owner pre installed ducting and ran a rope through it. If my memory is still with me I seem to recall on his original install thread he said that on the day the engineer had to speak to his boss but was then happy to run the fibre through the ducting.

---

That post was by me and although it's true that both the external and internal fibres were fed through pre-installed conduits, neither the first or second stage engineers needed to speak to their boss!

The external BFT was installed by MJ Quinn (BTOR subcontractor) and was attached to the side of my house which abuts onto the street (with no pavement) at above the regulation minimum height for crossing a highway.  The BFT was then routed round the corner of the house and pulled through a pre-installed 18m of flexible metallic (as per smoke hazard regulations) conduit, entering at eaves height and run through the loft and onwards to a downstairs cupboard where the CSP was then installed.

From there the internal connectorised fibre was pulled through a plastic conduit by the BTOR engineer to where my ONT was positioned upstairs.  He kindly granted my request to leave the excess approximately 25m of internal fibre cable coiled up under the floorboards so that if I decided to move the ONT at some point in the future it could be done easily with no need for the fibre splice at the CSP to be re-done.

[#9]

---

@Abacus wrote:

Thanks Brian.  For example, could the cable be run up the outside wall, through the soffit into the loft, and down into a clothes closet off the hall?

---

You might find it advisable to get some cheap flexible plastic conduit (sold in rolls of 10m - 20m on eBay) to route what will essentially be your internal fibre cable on its journey through your loft.  That way there won't be any sharp bends involved or excess force needed to overcome snagging when pulling through the loft thereby avoiding the fibre breaking internally.

If you decide to do that, don't forget to pre-install either a thin rope or a specialised cable puller into the conduit!

[#10]

Just waiting for the final connection into the house but now had another email placing the question on hold yet  again, this time until 1st May.  This must be the softening up process the neighbours warned me about.

Abacus

[#11]

Hi Abacus.

It looks like we've placed the ticket on hold until after the engineer visit as there's not much we can do before then.

Let us know how it goes on Monday.

[#12]

Hello Gandalf,

I spoke to someone at Plusnet a week or so ago who said we were down for a visit by an engineer on Monday or possibly Tuesday next week, I just forget which, so from what you are now saying do I take it that is still on?  If that is the case it gives us something to aim for.  

I must apologise if I give the impression of being too impatient, it's just that you are dealing here with a couple of very silver surfers, so it's a toss up who gets here first, Openreach or the Reaper!!  How about FTTC - fibre to the casket?

Regards

Abacus

[#13]

Hi Abacus.

No problems, it doesn't look like the adviser you spoke to sent the confirmation of your appointment by e-mail or text message.

They just updated your ticket with the appointment details.

The visit is booked in for Monday between 8am and 1pm.

I must apologise if I give the impression of being too impatient, it's just that you are dealing here with a couple of very silver surfers, so it's a toss up who gets here first, Openreach or the Reaper!!  How about FTTC - fibre to the casket?

No worries at all, if I was in your position I'd be absolutely the same way as FTTP speeds would be really nice.

[#14]

8:16pm, Monday 30 Apr 2018
The Question 171805089 has been released from hold and sent back to Products - Fibre Trials

Delighted to report that the second Openreach engineer attended today and completed the fibre installation to my entire satisfaction. He pointed out that there is a phone socket on the battery box - is it possible to get the Plusnet phone service via this means please? As things stand I am now about to be charged for two land lines, one fibre and one copper, the copper having been prepaid until November 2018. Is the any set-off here please? If the phone cannot be obtained via the fibre and if there is no set-off I may be tempted not to renew the copper rental and lose the phone service altogether from 19th November. Meanwhile, as I,appear to have a phone service at least until November, can you please confirm that I shall not be charged the £2.50 monthly surcharge?

Best regards
Abacus

[#15 · Accepted solution]

Hi Abacus.

I'm glad to hear your FTTP connection is now up and running.

He pointed out that there is a phone socket on the battery box - is it possible to get the Plusnet phone service via this means please?

Unfortunately we don't offer phone over fibre (VoIP) so you'll need to look into a VoIP provider.

As things stand I am now about to be charged for two land lines, one fibre and one copper, the copper having been prepaid until November 2018. Is the any set-off here please? If the phone cannot be obtained via the fibre and if there is no set-off I may be tempted not to renew the copper rental and lose the phone service altogether from 19th November. Meanwhile, as I,appear to have a phone service at least until November, can you please confirm that I shall not be charged the £2.50 monthly surcharge?

As long as your phone service remains on your account, you won't be charged the £2.50 broadband only fee.

If you would like to move your telephone number to a VoIP service before your line rental saver runs out, when we remove your phone service, we can always discount your fibre service by £2.50 until the date you paid line rental to.

Let us know over here when/if you do go ahead with porting your number out.

Anoush