Kitz Forum

Broadband Related => ISPs => Topic started by: snadge on July 26, 2020, 12:32:07 PM

Title: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: snadge on July 26, 2020, 12:32:07 PM
Hi

BT Openreach is busy installing FTTP pods on all the junction poles in my street, the engineers said it was FTTP and it would be ready in about 2 months.

can anyone tell me, is it FTTP..? could it be G.fast? and what sort of prices, packages and speed you get from FTTP service on BT Wholesale?

thanks
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: tiffy on July 26, 2020, 01:06:01 PM
Noted last week in a relatively small town in N.I. I had occasion to visit that new "boxes" had been attached to all the distribution poles and to the walls of terraced commercial premises, rectangular in shape and slightly bigger than the existing copper system DP boxes, one small "cable" attached to the bottom entry point (probably fibre) with about 6 other unconnected ports visable, angled downwards at about 45 deg's.
The boxes look like they should have a lid attached but none had at this stage.

Did not manage to get a pic of any, assuming this is for FTTP service ?
The adjacent manholes had painted markings on the pavement as if cable (fibre) pulling had been a recent activity.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: Alex Atkin UK on July 26, 2020, 01:49:26 PM
Openreach do not install G.fast on the poles, so it will be FTTP.  The fibre feeding the poles has a yellow stripe on it so is hard to miss.

As for speeds, I think this is already well covered on the forum.  There is no variability on FTTP, you get what you pay for, unless there is some temporary problem with capacity.  Now if wherever you are downloading from can hit those speeds is another question.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: tiffy on July 26, 2020, 02:25:34 PM
Quote
The fibre feeding the poles has a yellow stripe on it so is hard to miss.
Have seen this type of installation, however, in the instance I quoted earlier the single connection to the new "boxes" was a very fine black cable (or fibre) emerging from the normal metal shroud attached to the poles or from a cable bundle where mounted on terraced premises walls.
Perhaps the fibre splitter (if this is indeed fibre) is situated in the adjacent manhole ?

Pity I didn't get a photo I know, never thought at the time.
If it's of any interest or significance, the location was Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: burakkucat on July 26, 2020, 07:31:50 PM
Have seen this type of installation, however, in the instance I quoted earlier the single connection to the new "boxes" was a very fine black cable (or fibre) emerging from the normal metal shroud attached to the poles or from a cable bundle where mounted on terraced premises walls.
Perhaps the fibre splitter (if this is indeed fibre) is situated in the adjacent manhole ?

Pity I didn't get a photo I know, never thought at the time.
If it's of any interest or significance, the location was Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.

From reading your description, I wonder if they are Connectorised Block Terminals (CBTs)?
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: busterboy on July 26, 2020, 07:39:19 PM
Does it look like this.?

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/uwsucji14fsb07l/pole-top.jpg?raw=1)
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: busterboy on July 26, 2020, 07:42:03 PM
And the fibre cable like this.

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/lxd4oz9iukk51s9/fibre%20cable.jpg?raw=1)
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: busterboy on July 26, 2020, 07:45:19 PM
Look out for these on the pole.

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/n23vxg8mmer7qhh/fibre-1%3Dsmall.jpg?raw=1)
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: j0hn on July 26, 2020, 09:03:23 PM
Look out for these on the pole.

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/n23vxg8mmer7qhh/fibre-1%3Dsmall.jpg?raw=1)

That's just a fibre joint box.
Although they are used in FTTP deployments they could also be for distant FTTC cabinets or FTTP elsewhere and isn't really what they should be getting hopes up over.

Your 1st pic is what you should be looking out for with regards to FTTP.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: snadge on July 26, 2020, 10:04:20 PM
yes it looks like the first screenshot. ill grab some photos tomorrow
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: tiffy on July 27, 2020, 10:45:09 AM
Yes, with respect to my observations, the "boxes" look exactly like the first pic (arrowed box) provided by busterboy.
Nothing resembling the third pic visable on the poles.

Regarding the cable details as shown in the second pic, looks like 6 fibres and a 3 core mains cable, wonder what's the concept here apart from the obvious fibre & power distribution ?
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: RealAleMadrid on July 27, 2020, 11:27:33 AM
I believe it is actually 3 fibre tubes and some steel strengthening wires, there is no power involved in FTTP (GPON P = Passive) deployments.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: burakkucat on July 27, 2020, 04:56:10 PM
I believe it is actually 3 fibre tubes and some steel strengthening wires, there is no power involved in FTTP (GPON P = Passive) deployments.

Correct.  :)

I remember seeing the original of that image. Due to the lighting, the colours of the fibre tubes are not true. They are actually blue, orange and green . . . the first thee colours of the standard "BOG Brown and Grey (or Slate)" quintuple, familiar to all with any experience of telephony circuity.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: tiffy on July 27, 2020, 05:20:14 PM
I believe it is actually 3 fibre tubes and some steel strengthening wires, there is no power involved in FTTP (GPON P = Passive) deployments.

Ahh, from the pic the centre cable bundle looked just like a white 3 core mains cable (which would have been a bit strange) with the standard brown, blue & green colour coding.
I was obviously mistaking the 6 steel strengthing wires for the fibres.
Thanks to yourself and Mr b.*cat for the clarification.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: Alex Atkin UK on July 27, 2020, 10:56:49 PM
Its actually kinda mind-blowing as the fibres themselves are microscopic, they have a HUGE protective sheathing around them.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: tiffy on July 28, 2020, 12:09:28 AM
Its actually kinda mind-blowing as the fibres themselves are microscopic, they have a HUGE protective sheathing around them.

Yes indeed, I first came across fibre optics in 1992 when involved with commissioning a new sub-sea high voltage control system in the petro-chemical industry where the fibres where actually incorporated within the 33 Kv. inter platform feeder, was absolutely facinated observing the termination process.
Of course, totally electrical "noise" immune which was one of the advantages over the old co-axial highways.
 
I'am sure the technology has advanced a lot since then.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: niemand on July 28, 2020, 10:02:54 AM
The protection can be hugely smaller depending on environment - this is the stuff I have in my house between switches.

https://www.telonix.ca/ofs/ofs_invisilight.html
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: Alex Atkin UK on July 28, 2020, 04:10:56 PM
The protection can be hugely smaller depending on environment - this is the stuff I have in my house between switches.

https://www.telonix.ca/ofs/ofs_invisilight.html

Of course the drawback to that is if you aren't completely aware that its there, would be very easy to destroy, especially when stripping the wallpaper.
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: niemand on July 28, 2020, 04:28:12 PM
True.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MJRrpjFszh3UB49P8

It's going to be painted over in the not too distant so not too worried about the excess glue but here's my install. Runs under carpet and floorboard after it disappears then reappears behind my desk.  :)
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: Alex Atkin UK on July 28, 2020, 05:32:38 PM
Cracks in the plaster already?
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: niemand on July 28, 2020, 11:46:07 PM
Naturally. New builds the walls aren't completely dry when you move in, that takes months!  :)
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: tickmike on July 29, 2020, 10:26:38 AM
Quote from: tiffy
Yes indeed, I first came across fibre optics in 1992 when involved with commissioning a new sub-sea high voltage control system in the petro-chemical industry where the fibres where actually incorporated within the 33 Kv. inter platform feeder, was absolutely facinated observing the termination process.
Of course, totally electrical "noise" immune which was one of the advantages over the old co-axial highways.
 
I'am sure the technology has advanced a lot since then.

I first came across 'Fibre' in 1970, I still have an off cut somewhere, it was about 4mm dia hard plastic tube with many glass firbe strands and terminated in a brass feral of about 5mm dia, that was one fibre  :-\
Yes it was made of many strands of glass but it was early technology back then.
A smaller type was a 'Plastic' core type we tested, it had a plastic sheath of about 3mm with a 'Plastic' (fibre) strand core of about 1.5mm.

I used to cycle to work then and I used an 'Off Cut' on my bike, one end in the rear red light and the other end on my handle bars , I could just glance down to check my rear light was working on dark nights.

I worked in Railway Research and we used the fibre to Isolate between the 25Kv overhead train power on the pantograph for instrumentation on the pantograph.

We tested some of the more modern type of fibre when it was in it's early days of use and development, way before BT started using it.  :o
Title: Re: What are FTTP typical speed/packages..? (getting FTTP installed in street)
Post by: tiffy on July 29, 2020, 11:08:17 AM
Ahh, all our yesterdays, those were the days !

Apologies to "snadge", we seem to have somewhat hijacked his topic.