Your explanation does clarify the situation a lot clearer, he definitely referenced it being a buried joint and that it needed investigating. Thats when however he seemed to say it could be a bit of a game changer for my situation as it is down to Openreach for originally doing a buried joint in the first place. He said that if at some point in the future they decided to to FTTP on the street then this work would need doing anyway. So if another pair is available, when you say "pushed" is that using special tools or could the case be that the path needs digging up along to the JB23 outside my premises?
He did also mention he recalled the figure is around £1000 as well.
Adam
No problem at all, Adam .... like all folk on
kitz we're happy to assist where possible.
Just for info purposes, your engineer is correct in as much as
'back in't day' on the up-coming estates the preferred method was to lie the cables DIG (Direct In Ground), as opposed to laying duct and then pulling the cables in later.
As a result, the 'spine cable' would be quite large at one end of the estate where its journey begins, ( usually 75 or 100 pair), and as it continues its journey it would become decreasingly smaller as there would be a BJ (affectionately know as a 'submarine joint', as it vaguely resembles the sea-going vessel) outside each premises, where a 'pair' would be 'dropped off' to feed each individual house.
In your case, two 'pairs' are being dropped off to feed you and your neighbour.
So, with all things being equal, there has to be an 'end' to the 'spine' and this is when shortfalls of 'pairs' become more prevalent.
By 'pushing a pair', I mean there may be two spine cables in the BJ that's being excavated that may have spare capacity, this would enable a 'spare pair' to be connected to the cable going on towards the JB23 outside your house .... affectionately termed, 'pushing a pair'. No fancy tools or work is required.