Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[burakkucat]

Thank you for your information consolidation post.

I must admit that I have always considered an OLT to be multi-functional (combined) device even though I have acknowledged the presence of a Huawei SmartAX MA5600T in the chain of equipment, when looking towards the end user. I suspect my invalid assumption has its genesis as a result of seeing those Openreach pictorial diagrams which show stylised overviews of the infrastructure involved for both FTTC and FTTP deployments.

As the Huawei cabinet door opens, the camera pans down from the bottom of the OLT, past empty space, to something labelled just as a layer 2 switch. This appears to be a Huawei Quidway CX380, but I haven't managed to confirm details of exactly what this device can do.

I have seen references to Huawei Quidway devices in the past . . . the problem is I cannot recall where or in what context! (Most irritating.)

Where the term "OLT" is used, I have always understood it to mean that it terminates the GPON fibres *and* terminates the GbE fibres to the FTTC cabinets.

Again, that is what I have also assumed it to be.

However, it looks like the term really just applies to GPON. I'm not sure what to call the place that terminates GbE ... is it really as simple as calling it "a router" or "a switch"? Is optical GbE, nowadays "nothing special", and needs no term?

In general terms, fibre optical systems are now run-of-the-mill, everyday, "nothing special" systems but I would have thought that the termini for GbE would still have an appropriate name.

Perhaps we need to arrange for our leader, Kitz, to be taken on another fact-finding tour . . . 

[niemand]

OLT refers specifically to the kit on the service provider side of a passive optical network. It handles timing on the network, allocation of upstream timeslots, any WDM that might be needed, etc. The OLT bears more than a passing similarity to a DOCSIS CMTS for obvious reasons, both power a shared medium with TDMA on the upstream.

Terminating 1000base-BX needs nothing more than a switch with either optical ports built in or SFPs. B4RN use Netgear switches with SFP ports to terminate their 1000base-BX point to point lines.

A single chassis can be both OLT and switch as the OLT functionality is almost entirely within the access board with the controller boards supervising.

In the case I encountered in Leeds in may be that the MA5600 chassis in my local exchange simply only has the 24 port GigE cards in it with no 8 port GPON boards, that the person I was speaking to was simply misinformed by Openreach when he enquired or that he was mistaken.

The access boards Openreach use are I believe 24 port SFP-based GbE and 8 port GPON as they want to avoid contention at the access board backplanes, these in at least the earlier hardware being 20Gb per board with both cabinets and Cablelink using the 24 port cards.

[burakkucat]

Hmm . . . I think I've got that!

Thank you. 

[ryan2390]

This is all very well and good but....can you explain this to a mere layman?

All I've been able to gather is Capel is connected to Dorking and from there it goes on elsewhere.

Help? 

[burakkucat]

My suspicion is that the relationship between the Capel and Dorking exchanges, for telephony, is exactly as it was in 1977. I.e. Capel is just a service name within a linked numbering system that is parented on the Dorking exchange.

The "other end" to the fibre link, once it is installed, will be at Dorking. So the OLT (optical line terminal) will be Dorking and the ONT (optical network terminal) will be in your home.

I would be very surprised if "insufficient capacity at the exchange" is the real reason for delaying the rest of the installation. 

[ryan2390]

My suspicion is that the relationship between the Capel and Dorking exchanges, for telephony, is exactly as it was in 1977. I.e. Capel is just a service name within a linked numbering system that is parented on the Dorking exchange.

The "other end" to the fibre link, once it is installed, will be at Dorking. So the OLT (optical line terminal) will be Dorking and the ONT (optical network terminal) will be in your home.

I would be very surprised if "insufficient capacity at the exchange" is the real reason for delaying the rest of the installation. 

Thank you for that burakkucat. Could you theorise as to the real reason? Still likely a capacity issue?

Having chased this for two years and so far another six months from order I'm considering writing to my local paper again. Sigh.

[burakkucat]

The fibre from your home will be ducted to the nearest aggregation node and at that point, it will be connected to pre-existing fibres from the fibre head-end exchange. My suspicion is that there is either a significant breakage in that fibre bundle -- meaning that a new bundle would have to be installed -- or the delay could be nothing more than a lack of the appropriate staff available to perform the task. Staffing availability has always been the commodity in short supply.   

[niemand]

If Milton Keynes is anything to go by there have been some.... issues with FTTP deployment.

Little things like engineers working on splitters breaking people's drops, poor splicing between node and splitter,  splitters filling up and no additional capacity being added, that kinda thing.

Don't mean to put you off or anything.

[skyeci]

Just wondered how this was going- are you connected or have a date yet?

[ryan2390]

Hello Everyone! I have regretfully not been keeping you up to date. I will say though that in the last two weeks we've had more progress than in the last eight months!

Not long after I posted about the supposed exchange capacity issues I decided enough was enough. I was so frustrated with not being able to get a direct answer out of anyone at BT I ended up writing a strongly worded letter to Clive Selley, the Openreach CEO. I explained my situation and that the level of 'service' from Openreach was simply unacceptable. I went on to suggest that if something were not done soon I would feel obliged to contact my local paper once again. To my amazement I got a reply from someone at Openreach to say they would look into it.

I was contacted by someone at BT Retail's executive level complaints team and finally started to get some answers. I firmly believe that had I not written to Mr Selley, my order would not have progressed as far as it has. Throughout this entire process I have observed an apparent lack of sufficient communication between BT Group companies and after speaking to various engineers my observations are founded in reality (for a change! )

Suffice to say it wasn't long after speaking to my new executive level complaint handler that things started happening. The apparent capacity issue was nowhere to be seen and I soon had engineers out here working to install 12 tube/core sub ducting for the fibre. For those of you unaware of what this is, 12 tube sub duct is basically an oversized hose with a thick plastic outer, a metal inner and 12 small plastic tubes for the fibres themselves. The 12 tube was run from an existing chamber to the distribution point over the course of a few weeks.

The process itself was far harder than it should have been. There was not really enough room in the existing duct on the main road so to clear space Openreach engineers had to remove some redundant copper cables. This last portion of work was done on the 27th June. I was sat at the patio table as I am now, finishing my lunch and I saw an Openreach van on the main road. Wandering up to see what was going on and I saw an army of men in hi-vis jackets and helmets. There were about 12 blokes and 4/5 vans all doing work for me. Also present was a gentleman of some importance so I guess I ruffled a few feathers!

I have to say the three engineers I've seen the most of were fantastic. Great bunch of people determined to get me connected with a great sense of humour to boot. They really were brilliant. I was even allowed a small memento but more on that later 

So on the 27th we had the other half of the 12 tube installed. On the same day we had two blokes come round to run the one tube (single fibre sub duct, plastic) to the house and blow the fibre. So in one day we had more work done than the first seven months since we ordered! By Monday the fibre had been lit and we then, once more had to wait. Another chap showed up a few days ago to make sure the fibre was lit and we were resigned to wait for another couple of weeks.

Now at this point you'll be wondering if we're still hanging or are we now live. Well I can tell you that a rather young looking chap came yesterday to fit the ONT and nope. It wasn't working properly. The ONT could see the light but something wasn't working further up the line. The engineer had to go and attend another appointment then return to us in the afternoon. The issue was that the install job had been sorted but not the other work required to let the ONT do it's job when connected. Once again a communication issue!

Anyway at around 1600hrs yesterday the PON light on the ONT stopped flashing and stayed a solid green. It was one of those "Am I dreaming?" moments. I plugged my Mac into the BT router with an ethernet cable and ran a speed test. I nearly fainted. Eight months, four days and about six hours after placing our order it was finally here! 



I have uploaded some more photos to photobucket showing parts of the process: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/apolloandhermes/library/FTTP%20Install

Currently sat at the patio table and even with using an old-ish ADSL router as an access point I get 70Mbps down 20Mbps Up.

I will however say that getting FTTH installed by Openreach is a nightmare. If you're lucky enough to get it offered wholesale I suggest you book an appointment with your GP for anti-depressants and find a counsellor. 

So. Any questions?

[burakkucat]

. . . I was even allowed a small memento but more on that later.

I have just two questions, for now --

• What was the small memento?
• Are you ready for a visit from Walter (without wheelbarrow)?

     

[underzone]

I have a question or two, maybe burakkucat will know the answer. Those pings of 30+ms, is that normal for FTTP installs? Is that due to the fibre implementation (PON)?

Thanks.

[burakkucat]

I will suggest that the ping duration is purely down to normal network behaviour beyond the OLT at the Dorking exchange (the fibre head-end). 

It would be very interesting to see what is the equivalent ping duration between the ONT (in Ryan's home) and the OLT (in the fibre head-end exchange). 

[Ronski]

Nice one, was the wait worth it? I bet it was 

[skyeci]

Wow, very nice - I wish....

Can I ask please how much you are charged for the service etc.


Thanks