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[door_bell]

Hi Everyone,

Loving the site - so much knowledge around!

I thought I'd sign up, as I'm in the process of moving away from Virgin Media to Plusnet FTTC.

As it stands, I'm a little bit worried about Thursday after reading lots of posts here - not least of all if a contractor turns up!!!!

I've got a line coming from the pole on the street to a connection box (grey plastic one) and that is where it all ends. Are they going to run a line from there to a new faceplate inside or should there have been some wiring kit ordered?? I didn't see it listed when I signed up online.....or at least misunderstood what it was about!

If they do in fact, install a line - my questions are these:

1. I want it in the middle of the house, under the floors - to make it super easy for them, I've put a backer board up to install the faceplate/modem/whatever and it has power right next to it. I've also drilled the holes in the walls and put a 'draw string' that can pull the cable right through - will they likely do this, or are they like Virgin who would have happily left it in the garden on the floor?

2. The 'draw string' is actually cat6  I had a box of the stuff laying around that's not needed anymore........what do they install? Am I likely just going to get asked 'can we use this?'?? There is lots of it, but it's annoyingly grey. Better off just being a draw wire and refusing it being used (I can shorten it to put them off, if needs be).

After reading so much, I'm in doubts if I've done the right thing now.....I fear moving over and ending up with 20mb speeds, which would make me cry dearly.

Thanks gents....over to you

[guest]

Can't see them doing any of that frankly.

They will (AFAIK) take the shortest route from where the line enters the property to where you want the master socket. All of the wiring will be surface mounted (ie clipped to the skirting boards) and they won't use your cabling.

They definitely won't be taking cabling under floorboards.

I think what you might need to understand is that BT Openreach "own" the wiring up to the back of the master socket. As such they are liable for any faults on that wiring so its not going to be routed anywhere that's difficult to get to in future.

[door_bell]

They will (AFAIK) take the shortest route from where the line enters the property to where you want the master socket. All of the wiring will be surface mounted (ie clipped to the skirting boards) and they won't use your cabling.

That's the problem - it IS the shortest route. Straight down the side of the house (drop wire lands on the front corner) and would go into the hole and out into the center of the house - the office).

They definitely won't be taking cabling under floorboards.

I think what you might need to understand is that BT Openreach "own" the wiring up to the back of the master socket. As such they are liable for any faults on that wiring so its not going to be routed anywhere that's difficult to get to in future.

It would be their wire - my cable was simple an expensive to hand pull string to get it there. I can get under the floor to assist it if needs be. Hmmm, need a re-think.

The side of my house where the wire comes down is the kitchen and lounge - neither place is suitable to just drill through and stick it on the floor. It's simply not going to happen. Neither is it being stapled to skirting boards 

I'm going to hope on the day it's someone who wants an easy day - just give me the cable and wait 10 minutes, then he can slap the ends on it. Don't see it being any more difficult than my parents (in the loft) or brothers who is round the facia board almost 2 and a bit stories up.... 

Damn.

[burakkucat]

It really depends whether you get:

(1) a numpty contractor
(2) a jobsworth Openreach technician
(3) an Openreach technician from Black Sheep's flock.

If I was in your situation, I would run a length of the appropriate cable from "there" to "here", leaving sufficient spare at each end to allow the connections to be made and invite the installing technician to use the donated cable.

I don't see any problem in Openreach adopting a length of CAT6 cable, after all its specification exceeds that of both CAT5E and CW1308.

CW1308 cable is normally used between the NTE5/A and the drop-cable (if aerial fed) or service feed (if underground fed). If you were having a "home wiring solution" as part of your (FTTC) service provision, a length of CAT5E cable would then be used between the SSFP (fitted to the NTE5/A) and the data extension socket (into which would plug in the modem).

[door_bell]

Cheers muchly, appreciate it.

Out of interest, what's the Black Sheep reference? Seen it quite a bit, can't figure that one out.

Cheers

[BritBrat]

Cheers muchly, appreciate it.

Out of interest, what's the Black Sheep reference? Seen it quite a bit, can't figure that one out.

Cheers

My guess is they are the best phone enginners around.

Black Sheep

[door_bell]

Gotcha 

Here's hoping for a Black Sheep then 

[burakkucat]

Gotcha 

Here's hoping for a Black Sheep then 

[door_bell]

Well, he's here..... It's a Kelly Contractor.

So far, he's got a problem with:

- The drive has too much of a slope on it
- He wants to put it straight through the wall into the lounge and sit it on the floor/corner
- It might not be activated at the box up the road
- They can't run the cable UNDER the house in the vented crawl space (which is essentially outdoor space) because it's a fire risk

He's also a miserable git.

Awesome stuff. 

[BritBrat]

Good luck.

Hope it goes a lot better than mine did.

I am waiting on another enginner visit as I type, if Kelly turns up Brat will send him away.  But I was assured it would be an Openrach Infinity expert.

[door_bell]

He left a while ago now....I thought it wasn't going to happen.

Installed using his cable to where I wanted (middle of the house). Used the draw 'wire' to get it in the middle and put the new master socket on my backer board.

Didn't wall mount the modem, but I can do that anyway - all in all, finished and he was on his way in half the time it usually takes.

Quick wired speed test initially gives 73 down and 19 up 

Jobs a good 'un, as they say!

[Ronski]

They can't run the cable UNDER the house in the vented crawl space (which is essentially outdoor space) because it's a fire risk

Oh dear, that condemns most properties in the UK. All those mains cables (never mind telephone cables)  running under floor boards both upstairs and downstairs.

[BritBrat]

Oh dear, that condemns most properties in the UK. All those mains cables (never mind telephone cables)  running under floor boards both upstairs and downstairs.

I Needed a laugh.   

[NewtronStar]

Oh dear, that condemns most properties in the UK. All those mains cables (never mind telephone cables)  running under floor boards both upstairs and downstairs.

I Needed a laugh.   

The Engineer and the Frog
 


PreviousNext
An engineer crosses a road when a frog calls out to him, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess."

He bends over, picks up the frog and puts it in his pocket. The frog speaks up again and says, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will stay with you for one week."

The engineer takes the frog out of his pocket, smiles at it and returns it to the pocket.

The frog then cries out, "If you kiss me and turn me back, I'll do whatever you say!"

Again the engineer takes the frog out, smiles at it and puts it back into his pocket.

Finally, the frog asks, "What is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess, I'll stay with you for a month and do whatever you say. What more do you want?"

The engineer says, "Look, I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog, now that's cool!"

[Black Sheep]

Well, he's here..... It's a Kelly Contractor.

So far, he's got a problem with:

- The drive has too much of a slope on it
- He wants to put it straight through the wall into the lounge and sit it on the floor/corner
- It might not be activated at the box up the road
- They can't run the cable UNDER the house in the vented crawl space (which is essentially outdoor space) because it's a fire risk

He's also a miserable git.

Awesome stuff. 

Just for clarification purposes, we are not allowed to work in confined spaces (that includes loft spaces as well), but I've never heard it attributed to it being a fire risk Personal risk assessments, and common sense, can of course dictate the course of action taken. If the loft is boarded out, has adequate lighting and ventilation, then up we go. 

Glad that the contractor used your draw-rope to install the socket whee you wanted it. I don't know many that wouldn't have tbh. PS …. thanks B*Cat for the testimonial.