Should be fun

[#1]

OK well I'm on the list and waiting with a mixture of excitement and dread - the dread bit being that I wonder how on earth the FTTP installer will get the fibre to my front door - as I've been here since the house was built and I know we have a number of manhole covers around the house - but I think the one he might need is an oblong one about 6 meters from the house under a fairly chunky and quite well established bush...and then, how he gets from there to the front door...oh well, should be fun, guess they didnt mean that bit to be the trial though!

[#2]

Welcome to the forum! Yeah it is issue like that which makes it a trial and things the planners don't always think about and the guys on the ground find. We've had a few where they've had blocked ducts but don't think we've had any with bushes in the way. I don't know if hedge trimmers are part of the standard Openreach kit but I guess we'll find out. Be interesting to hear how they get on on the day.

[#3]

Fingers crossed you should be fine. When Openreach turned up at mine they had to trim a bush back - seems they carry small shears.
As for getting the fibre to your front door - do you have a telecoms panel on the outside of your house? Assuming its MK nearly all the properties have an external access hatch for BT and the dodgy cable network. If you do then there is probably be a duct from under the manhole cover to this box (there was for me). Failing that there may be a duct from the manhole cover to somewhere nearer the property (or even in it).
I'm not sure what BT do if there is no ducting. I think the Openreach engineers (I ended up with 4!!) mentioned something about a civil engineering squad when the ducting to mine turned out to be almost blocked (managed to force it though in the end). Initially the first Openreach guy that turned up was quite negative about managing to install FTTP. (Tricky 1st/2nd floor flat - not in a block though). I just kept suggesting solutions to any problems he mentioned - that an copious amounts of coffee seemed to do the trick!

[#4]

Well, being in MK all I have on the outside is the MK cable panel - about 20cm square - I guess that must be the place where the comms come in - nothing else on the outside so it must be it - house built in 1988. The master socket is right in the middle of the hall - mad place to put it - and its the old master socket, plain, no lower half.  I really need him to put the wall-mounted box about  12 ft away, in a corner by the front door, no doubt he will be able to do that.
I will probably wait until the openreach guys arrives (9th Dec) and wait until he confirms that we have to "go in" to the bushes to get to the hatch - I shall then go get my trusty hedge trimmer and try to make enough access for him but not to much as to incur the wrath of  my wife, who would not necessarily see the benefit of a turbo Fibre connection when all she can see is a mutilated front garden!!  Trial indeed!
Maybe I should take that day off as holiday.........