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[bogof]

At least its not FTTPod timescales.

...or costs!   I had an estimated build cost (desk based, without survey) of £4100 ex VAT from Cerberus around this time last year.  And from what I understand, that's down at the lower end of what folk often pay. 

[bogof]

Just noticed when checking one of my neighbour's house (which is vacant and doesn't have a service at the moment) on the OR checker that our FTTC cabinet is marked as "waiting list" - I guess that might explain why they've deployed FTTP here, and why the availability checker on Openreach's website can't make it's mind up what is available - it must just change as and when a port in the cabinet gets freed up.
 
Feel a bit guilty now holding onto my copper line... Only a bit, though.  As my router has 2 WAN ports I'm thinking about keeping it in perpetuity on some cheap FTTC service to have some redundancy (assuming they don't try and make me give it up once there is an FTTP service - can they do that?).

[Alex Atkin UK]

I'm constantly thinking what I will do once I get FTTP.  I think a mobile plan would probably make sense, maybe keep Voxi, as the mast fibre route is different to FTTC/FTTP which will take the same route back to the exchange so more likely to fail together.  Obviously that doesn't keep a public IP for my NAS, so maybe moving back to Three at that point would make sense.

Either way it basically means no changes to my router at all, will just cancel the Plusnet line and the cost of the top FTTP package is only fractionally more expensive than Plusnet & Zen together right now - so its a win win really.

[bogof]

It's a fair point, perhaps hogging a line that shares many possible common points of physical failure with the fibre isn't much worth it.  I do have a couple of 4G routers I could stick a SIM in for similar cost.

[j0hn]

I'm thinking about keeping it in perpetuity on some cheap FTTC service to have some redundancy (assuming they don't try and make me give it up once there is an FTTP service - can they do that?).

No they can't.

the OR checker that our FTTC cabinet is marked as "waiting list" - I guess that might explain why they've deployed FTTP here

It won't have anything to do with port capacity on the FTTC cabinet.

The FTTP work comes under a few different fibre programmes,
such as BDUK work, New builds, Fibre First, Fibre Rural (towns and villages) or retro new site work.

It's much cheaper and easier to add capacity to the FTTC cabinet than it is to rollout FTTP (additional line cards or larger line cards, or a VDSL Sidepod).

Most FTTP rollouts overlap cabinet coverage areas or don't cover an entire cabinet.

Norwich is a Fibre First area. You can see how much is due to be covered by selecting Norwich on this page:
https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/fibre-first#fibrefirstlocations

They might still add more capacity to the cabinet that's full.

[bogof]

Norwich is a Fibre First area. You can see how much is due to be covered by selecting Norwich on this page:
https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/fibre-first#fibrefirstlocations

They might still add more capacity to the cabinet that's full.

Thanks for the info.  I'd tried to find details in the past but failed.
Not sure why they managed to miss almost all the population centres, but I guess it has to start somewhere, and I'm glad somewhere is in my back yard (or more accurately, my neighbour's flower bed )

[bogof]

Been doing a bit more reading, and I think I might have been sold a pup with 8mm drill hole.  This doc says 12mm:
https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/images/fibre-broadband/fibre-for-developers/guides-and-handbooks/oct-2020-update/Openreach%20Developer%20Handbook%20V9.3%20Oct%202020.pdf

Even has a useful piccy.  Though I think some of the dimensions on this are to do with complying with current building regs, which may not apply to a retrofit installation. 

[g3uiss]

Norwich is a Fibre First area. You can see how much is due to be covered by selecting Norwich on this page:
https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/fibre-first#fibrefirstlocations

They might still add more capacity to the cabinet that's full.

J0hn I see from that link work is due to start in my area in the "next 3 months" do you know what that translates to in terms of availability timeframe

[bogof]

J0hn I see from that link work is due to start in my area in the "next 3 months" do you know what that translates to in terms of availability timeframe

Not J0hn, but from my timescales it's been 7 months from seeing people in the street working to being able to order, and in the current situation for me anyway it is another 3 months to getting it installed.  I reckon the delays for my install are part due to the civils work required and part due to the current COVID and my install not being priority (no COVID priority, already have 80/20 FTTC).

[bogof]

And... We're through!

Had some time this morning and thought this would be a productive way to spend it.
Little collage of the works today in getting through the wall attached.

I've had to come into the house about 1ft sideways from where it looks like the fibre is going to pop out of the ground due to where the steps change level, which would have meant locating the hole below the recommended 300mm height above ground level.  I guess they'll just run it over the surface.

I drilled to 10mm diameter initially with a slight incline, but my new Superrod magnet chain attachment won't go through anything like a 10mm hole, so I threw caution to the wind, and stuck the world's longest 22mm SDS drill bit in my 10.8V Bosch handheld hammer drill (I only had access to a borrowed 10mmx400mm and 22mm x lord knows how long without having to buy a new drillbit).  Surprisingly the little Bosch didn't seem to much care and was through in a few seconds.

Put one Superrod with the flexible end and the magnet attachment through from the inside into the space under the stairs, and put the chain on the end of another couple of superrods pushed though the cavity wall and into the space under the stairs from the outside.  It took literally two goes and about 2 minutes to pick up the chain with the magnet end.  Once I'd pulled the rod through, attached a 3mm Nylon paracord doubled up and pulled it back through the hole (so effectively I have 2 pull cords in the hole. The SuperRod magnet / chain kit is awesome, well worth the £11 cost https://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Rod-CRCM-Chain-Magnet/dp/B0018D7F6U - though you do need to have a set of SuperRods to use it).

Next up just got to get some 22mm OD flexible pipe and run it over the pull cord, which should be able to guide it well enough I think to be able to grab it inside. 

I think we're all set. 

[Black Sheep]

J0hn I see from that link work is due to start in my area in the "next 3 months" do you know what that translates to in terms of availability timeframe

There are no definites in FTTP roll out ..... but the rule of thumb is ..... the on-site survey is done by the OR FBC (1 week time-scale), it goes through Planning (2 week time-scale), the civils work is carried out such as de-silts, gully sucks, blockages, tree-cutting, new poles, D-poles, traffic management (5 week time-scale), cabling/splicing/testing/commissioning (2 week time-scale), RFS - Ready For Service - (10 day time-scale), CRFS - Customer Ready For Service - down to the service providers r, i'm guessing a 2 week time-scale minimum ??.

Some of the timings may be longer or shorter dependant on the level of involvement required - but in general, if you see an OR guy conducting a survey you should be looking at approx 14weeks before you can even look at ordering.

Just my thoughts and nothing concrete.

[Ronski]

Nice work Bogof, you can sit back and wait for the rest to happen now.

[bogof]

Nice work Bogof, you can sit back and wait for the rest to happen now.

Thanks, almost.  I nipped down to Screwfix today and picked up a 2m length of 22mm PEX pipe, which looks like it should be just the job.  Probably run that in tomorrow then I can relax and know I'm all set for a quick install once the work outside is done and they get around to me

[bogof]

All done for now.  a single piece of 22mm PEX barrier pipe has been fitted, in which gives about a 17mm ID.  The PEX has enough flex to be able to gently bend between the hole though the cavity wall, and where I made the hole on the plasterboard on the back of the staircase.  Should be able to drive a bus down that, and I'm sure you could probably just push the fibre down it, but I've left a couple of drawer ropes in anyway.

I couldn't get the pipe quite as tight into the corner of the inside wall as I would have liked - drilling the hole there wasn't happening - but it looks like it will work fine.  A little bit of paint needed to make good once the filler dries.

[Black Sheep]

You need more draw-rope, mate.