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[JamesK]

Hi All,
It's been a while since I posted on here as 2 years ago I moved to a bungalow that had Virgin already installed, and as the move ended up being during the 1st lockdown OpenReach weren't coming out to attend to any installs. Virgin were happy for me to do a self-install and at the time gave me a good deal on their M500 product.
That deal is now coming to an end, and it seems (at the moment) that Virgin have no interest in offering anything close to my current monthly price, so I'm now looking at alternative providers. Last year, somewhat surprisingly, Openreach rolled out FTTP to our road, so I do now have options that are comparable to the speeds Virgin offer.
The strange thing was during the install of FTTP, Openreach replaced several of the poles, and they removed any phone lines that were not being actively used, mine being one of them.
The phone line ran from the pole pictured (1), over my neighbours drive to the corner of the bungalow (2) through the soffit and up into the loft. From there it ran the width of the property into the front of the garage (3).

Here's a picture of the two BT boxes in the garage that I believe the cabling runs to. I don't think any of it has been used in 20+ years.

If I end up going back to an FTTP provider, will I have any issues with Openreach re-running a new cable from the pole, and routing it all into the garage as before? At the other end of the garage I have a small cabinet and patch panel, so it would be a very convenient place for them to install the ONT.
Thanks in advance...

[burakkucat]

If I end up going back to an FTTP provider, will I have any issues with Openreach re-running a new cable from the pole, and routing it all into the garage as before? At the other end of the garage I have a small cabinet and patch panel, so it would be a very convenient place for them to install the ONT.

Neither Openreach nor any of their sub-contractors will go into your roof-space unless it has a boarded floor surface. There are two ways that will provide you with the end result of an ONT in the garage --

• You pre-install suitable ducting (complete with a draw-cord) in your roof-space, from the far end all the way to the garage.
• You have the fibre cable run along the brickwork, just below the soffit, and then into the garage.

[JamesK]

Thanks for this. The loft space has a large proportion boarded out, I’d estimate around 75%. It doesn’t go right into the eaves of the roof though.

I was thinking of installing some ducting anyway to provide some protection to the fibre in the loft. We’re considering having a loft conversion carried out, which would mean a lot of work in the loft.

Can anyone provide a link to sites which sell suitable ducting?

[tiffy]

From my recent experience of family, friends, neighbours FTTP installs by Openreach or their sub-contractors where arial fed service is used, the method deployed has been fibre entry through the wall at or near the fibre drop point to the ONT mounted directly behind.
As b*cat has said, routing the fibre through the roof-space is a very unlikely option unless you are prepared/able to carry out a lot of the preparatory work yourself.

You may find this post useful/informative:
https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,26339.msg441623.html#msg441623
Outlines that the ONT location should be given careful consideration unless you are willing to run an ethernet cable to a favourable location with respect to best Wi-Fi coverage.

[broadstairs]

Assuming you will be pole fed I would expect the CSP to be placed externally and the ONT to be placed in your garage. My experience is that they guys doing the install are quite flexible within the rules. I had my CSP mounted behind my side gate for a bit more security and the drop cable run down and round the corner to it and then cable to the ONT  run up to the entry point through the wall to where I wanted the ONT. Just remember they will expect a power point close to the ONT so if there is not one close by in the garage it would be worth running a new one up to close to where you want the ONT to be placed.

Stuart

[tiffy]

My experience is that they guys doing the install are quite flexible within the rules.

Very much depends on the guy/gal on the install day, tea/coffee & biscuits usually help!

Just remember they will expect a power point close to the ONT so if there is not one close by in the garage it would be worth running a new one up to close to where you want the ONT to be placed.

PoE is an option should the power point for the ONT PSU be a real issue.
Of course, that's assuming you have an ethernet cable run from ONT to router.
I opted to do this mostly because I wanted to provide UPS backup to the ONT and I already had an ethernet cable run to the BT Hub.
Details here:
https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,26792.msg451455.html#msg451455

[JamesK]

Thanks tiffy, your post was very useful, and I think I would be in exactly the same situation. The point where the phone line used to attach is where our sons bedroom is. It's also the furthest point from the house where the internet is actually used. So putting the ONT and Router there would be completely pointless.

You may find this post useful/informative:
https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,26339.msg441623.html#msg441623
Outlines that the ONT location should be given careful consideration unless you are willing to run an ethernet cable to a favourable location with respect to best Wi-Fi coverage.

When we first moved into this property, I took advantage of several walls being re-plastered to install CAT6 cabling into several rooms and cabled it all back to a patch panel in the garage. I then relocated the Virgin Hub into the garage, and put it in modem mode. I was then able to use the ethernet to put the router and it's mesh satellite into the rooms that gave the best coverage for the house, along with various other devices using ethernet.

So for me, having the ONT in the garage would be the best option. There's plenty of power sockets at either end, so powering the ONT wouldn't be an issue. It's not a problem installing some ducting into the loft space, it's just knowing what to purchase for the job.

Would something like this do the job? Link It doesn't come with a drawstring, but one of the reviews details what looks like a quick method of adding one...

[stevebrass]

That conduit is corrugated inside so cables can sometimes catch. But if you put a drawstring through it is should be okay.

[JamesK]

That conduit is corrugated inside so cables can sometimes catch. But if you put a drawstring through it is should be okay.

I'm struggling to find one with a smooth inner wall that has a drawstring included. I used a 50mm cable duct a couple of years ago on recommendation from an electrician when we had our patio relaid, and wanted to run power to our shed. However, that conduit is quite large and probably overkill for the loft... and you can only buy it in 50m coils.
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/FXKVR50.html

[RealAleMadrid]

@JamesK I don't think you will find a conduit with a drawstring included, you just push one through or use a vacuum cleaner to suck it. The corrugated one will work with a drawstring in it as it will pull the cable around any bends.

[tiffy]

@JamesK:
Yes, the obvious distribution point for you is the garage to suit your existing LAN infrastructure.

As I see it you have two options:
Provide conduit for OR or their sub-contractors to easily run the fibre across the loft space from your gable wall entry point to the garage.
The flex conduit you suggest would do but a much cheaper option would be 20mm plastic (electrical) conduit such as this:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-round-upvc-white-conduit-20mm-x-3m/6282p
Easily joined to suit length:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-white-heavy-conduit-couplings-20mm-2-pack/63776
With lots of other fittings cheaply available for "going around corners", clipping to wood work etc.
Would be much easier to thread a pull cord, one length at a time before coupling.

If you decide to go this route, would suggest if at all possible that you drill through the gable wall and provide a water proof entry point to the conduit for the fibre to be inserted/secured to the pull cord, I'am sure the installing engineer would be more than willing, indeed delighted to make use of this installation.

Or alternatively:
Let the installer do his own thing and mount the ONT at a suitable location near the drop point (inside) the gable wall.
You pre-run a new ethernet (WAN) cable from the proposed ONT mounting point to the garage LAN distribution point or where ever you decide is the best Wi-Fi location for the router.
As you are running the new WAN cable across the loft space yourself I would not really see any requirement for conduit unless you really wished to do so.
If you have the necessary tooling and ability you could provide a fibre entry point on the gable wall preferably with plastic conduit, near a power point where you would prefer the ONT to be fitted.
The installer will then likely fit the CSP box over the entry hole you have provided, makes a neater job.   

[JamesK]

Thanks for all the advice on this... it's much appreciated. I think even I will run the necessary conduit and drawstring even if I do end up staying with Virgin (they're retentions department are calling me later today apparently). If the loft conversion does eventually happen then access to the loft space will not be as easy as it currently is, so I think it makes sense to do the work regardless.

Does anyone have any pictures, or can send me links to what the exterior installation of the FTTP looks like when supplied from an overhead pole?

[tiffy]

Does anyone have any pictures, or can send me links to what the exterior installation of the FTTP looks like when supplied from an overhead pole?

Here's a recent FTTP arial install:
https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,23713.msg454674.html#msg454674

Have a look on the forum "FTTP Rollout" topic there are lots of FTTP installs recorded some with photos.

UG fed fibre install looks more or less the same except that the fibre (obviously) appears from below rather than above, there are lots of posts showing examples of this type of installation on the "FTTP Rollout" topic.