Install question: Run CSP-ONT fibre under my floor?

[#1]

@bmc 

I do have a too-large drill bit. I misunderstood you; thought you were suggesting drilling an only-just-big-enough hole so the conduit would stay in place through tightness and friction.

The entry point living room is recently, and beautifully, decorated. Sanded and polished floorboards. Very open and uncluttered, so a 1" diameter hole and gaffer tape would not look pretty.
Whole idea is to achieve a neat and unobtrusive installation.

The fibre exiting through the ventilation grill would be absolutely perfect in that respect, as no impact on the living room.

I don't think my plan (now looking unlikely) would result in an extra splice. My Dexgreen plugs into the ONT at one end and is spliced directly into the CSP by the engineer, at the other end.

[#2]

@markv 

We were indeed talking at cross purposes up to a point.

I was speaking of drilling a hole in the cupboard where you want the ONT. Yes, originally it would be tight enough to support the flexible duct but now I'm thinking one one slightly larger so you can have 8 to 10cm of duct above the floor. Gaffer tape this to the wall. Ideally this needs to be next to the wall (one side touching) so that the fibre can be fixed to the wall without any kink. The duct protects the cable from any wayward foot kicking it.

This sorts one end. The other to be decided on the day.

If you're lucky you might get an internal ONT fitted but if not I suspect it'll go on the wall to the left of the downpipe. It's what happens after this that's the problem.

Can you post a picture of the incoming copper cable and where it disappears under the floor. This route might be usable. The following is my incoming fibre cable. The black outer sheath was stripped back where the fiber entered the house before it was run round the skirting boards to a rear wall.

I see no reason why the engineer would need to use your cable. The distance between the CSP and ONT  is quite short - their cable would easily cover it.

Brian

[#3]

@bmc 

My fault for not mentioning the cupboard end is (hopefully) sorted.
I already have a hole in the base of the cupboard, and correspondingly in the floorboards below (with a pointless 3" of void between!). In place is a short length of rigid conduit, flush with the base of the cupboard and extending several inches into the footings.

I will connect one end of my long flexible conduit to that stub of rigid conduit with a jubilee clip.
The fibre can emerge from that hole and plug into the ONT. As it's inside a cupboard, should be no risk of getting kicked.

I'm pretty sure your right in speculating the CSP will be fitted to the outside wall next to the downpipe, as that's where the BT trunking from the manhole ends.

The incoming copper comes through the external wall and down through a hole drilled tight in the angle where the skirting board touches the floorboard. A sharp bend, small hole, copper cable is immovable (a squirt of sealant perhaps).

No pic as this is happening at my partners house, so she would have to take a photo and send it to me.. and she's at work this evening.

Question: would you expect the OR engineer to physically rip out the copper so they can use the holes/pathways if necessary? No problem if they do, but that would nmean the fibre connection MUST work!

[#4]

@markv 

As you say, one end of the duct is sorted.

The CSP does not need to go where the copper cable comes out of the ground. I think to the left of the downpipe but if you can persude the engineer to fit an internal one then the cable goes all the way to the cupboard.

I suspect two more trips underground. First to secure the duct so it's in place for the day with a draw string. Second would be on the day if you can get agreement to put the ONT in the cupboard. Once the route has been agreed then under you go to cut the duct to length and pull the fibre cable through before before pushing it through the exit point.

If you can get the ONT where you want there are 3 possible options for the incoming cable.

The ventialtion grill (preferred).

The route of the current copper cable. Would require the copper to be cut with no guarantees FTTP will work (it usually does).

Another point of the installers choosing that you can work with.

If the engineer is not happy with the ONT is the cupboard then I would suggest either where the copper comes in (taking the chance on things not working) or just beside it (new hole required). You might need to get some sort of protection for the fibre going under the floor.

Once FTTP is in and working get a reloction kit (see below) and move the ONT. All that perhaps is required is the hole in the floor is big enough for the fibre connection.

https://www.premitel.uk/consultancy/expert-advice/how-to-relocate-the-ont-fibre-termination-point/

I would look to return if fibre cable you bought if it's not too late.

Brian

[#5]

@bmc 

Thanks for that. On Friday I'll go underground and aim to fix the 'easy' end. Will probably secure the flexible conduit to the joists to keep it neat.

Will be able to evaluate up-close, the possible exits: up through the floorboards, or out through the ventilation grill.
Planning and prep is everything, and I feel well prepared, thanks to all the useful advice received from many people in this thread.

Then we'll press the Go button with Plusnet by accepting their FTTP contract offer. I suspect it'll be a good month before that translates to an OR engineer on the doorstep.

Useful reminder re the ONT Relocation Kit.

Mark

[#6]

@markv 

Once you have it fixed with a draw string in place I would take pictures so you can show the engineer on the day if required.

By hook or by crook you know you can get the ONT in the cupboard. The only real question now is how the fiber enters the house. This can only be found out on the day of install.

Do let us know how the install goes.

Brian

[#7]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

Have you any indication whether Openreach will even consider splicing your fibre to theirs in the CSP?

This is what Openreach usually do for new-build properties - the builder installs the indoor fibre (to Openreach's specs) and prepares a location for the ONT, and then Openreach pulls the outdoor fibre and splices it to the indoor fibre that the builder has installed at the Customer Splice Point. See the links earlier in the thread.  Dexgreen indoor/outdoor is one of the brands that Openreach currently use (along with ezbend), and Openreach publish documents for what they require the builders to do.

I expect I'll be testing out this theory sooner than the original poster since I already have an appointment for next week (although I suspect they'll end up coming back at some point in the future instead with a scaffold tower because they can't safely use a ladder at the front of the building for the overhead install).  I'll let you know how that goes.

[#8]

@TimSmall 

Be most interested to hear how that goes.

Underfloor conduit installed and Dexgreen In/Out fibre pulled through. Connector end in the cupboard we hope to have the ONT, bare end and 2-3 metres of fibre coiled by the floor exit hole, near the wall we hope OR will drill through.

We pressed the Go button with PN and got to chose an instalation date; June 5.

A few days later my SO got home to find a 'cable' had been run from the BT manhole to a newly-installed CSP on entirely the wrong wall (for us).

When I say 'run', the fibre cable is simply lying on the ground at the base of the next-door-dividing fence!

They must have decided that was preferable to using the ancient metal pipe/duct that the copper phone wires run through.

Fingers crossed for instalaltion day, as much is at the whim of the engineer on the day.

Will have tea and chocolate digestives ready...!