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Author Topic: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?  (Read 2949 times)

hucknallred

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FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« on: January 08, 2021, 03:45:11 PM »

Went for a walk today to find the smallish estate besieged by OR staff & vans with manhole covers up.
Said a quick hello to a team & asked "Putting fibre in?" to which he responded "Well, survey & rodding right now, but it's on the way."

I'm with VM as the run to my FTTC cab is over 1KM, lots of crosstalk gives barely 28Mb on VDSL.

My annual VM contract haggle is in April. Is Fibre likely to be available then?

Cheers.
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burakkucat

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2021, 03:55:00 PM »

I don't think anyone can give you a realistic answer . . . especially as we are currently living in very abnormal times.

My annual VM contract haggle is in April. Is Fibre likely to be available then?

My "feeling" is probably not for this year (2021).
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Black Sheep

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2021, 04:06:54 PM »

Went for a walk today to find the smallish estate besieged by OR staff & vans with manhole covers up.
Said a quick hello to a team & asked "Putting fibre in?" to which he responded "Well, survey & rodding right now, but it's on the way."

I'm with VM as the run to my FTTC cab is over 1KM, lots of crosstalk gives barely 28Mb on VDSL.

My annual VM contract haggle is in April. Is Fibre likely to be available then?

Cheers.

As Mr Cat ^^^ has pointed out, giving definitive's is impossible .... but the average turn around time is 10-12 weeks from TR&R (Test Rod & Rope) surveys, to being CRFS (Customer Ready For Service).

Bear in mind our customers are the ISP's, when they choose to open their order books after that, I have no idea ??. I would put my money on it though that it would be almost immediately ??.
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Alex Atkin UK

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2021, 04:47:27 PM »

As Mr Cat ^^^ has pointed out, giving definitive's is impossible .... but the average turn around time is 10-12 weeks from TR&R (Test Rod & Rope) surveys, to being CRFS (Customer Ready For Service).

Bear in mind our customers are the ISP's, when they choose to open their order books after that, I have no idea ??. I would put my money on it though that it would be almost immediately ??.

That actually seems quite fast compared to how it was in the early days with people saying it didn't go live for years in some cases.

Presumably its way more streamlined now as its a rush to do get as much done as quickly as possible to get a return on that investment ASAP?
« Last Edit: January 08, 2021, 04:52:39 PM by Alex Atkin UK »
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hucknallred

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2021, 05:10:06 PM »

Thanks for the feedback. Will update on progress.
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Black Sheep

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2021, 12:43:40 PM »

That actually seems quite fast compared to how it was in the early days with people saying it didn't go live for years in some cases.

Presumably its way more streamlined now as its a rush to do get as much done as quickly as possible to get a return on that investment ASAP?

It's like anything I suppose, the early builds will have been the testing grounds for future enhancements/developments in both hands-on and electronic procedures.

I've said it many times in both PM's and on the main site ... you would simply not believe what goes into a FTTP build from start to finish ... it is immense !! However, as mooted ... as we progress we learn and streamline and invest in the latest technologies (such as ditch-witches). Also, for every area that goes live with FTTP and the take-up grows, the need for copper engineering staff will obviously diminish somewhat, and these lads and lasses will get absorbed into our FTTP programmes ...... ergo more staff to do the work.

Add a little incentive such as government funding and projected completion dates, and there you have it ... a far quicker L2C (Lead to cash), process all round.   :)
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Alex Atkin UK

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2021, 08:09:28 PM »

Considering mine was delayed due to the exchange needing a power overhaul, I'd imagine that alone was a pretty huge job, particularly needing to do it while keeping all equipment live, security of the building and equipment, etc.  They also seem to be replacing a few poles in my area too.

At least its not as bad as Digital Region, that also got delayed in this area as due to it being before Openreach duct sharing they hit a bad patch and had to order specialist equipment before they could cut a path for their ducting.  Its kinda sad that after all that, everything they put into the ground is going to waste, but that's poor management for you.

I don't know if I got round to asking before, when the bottom of the pole has no access hatch, how do they run the fibre?  I know the run from my pole goes under the pavement and the road before hitting a chamber.  Do they just dig a hole at the bottom of the pole or is it more involved?  Just puzzling why some poles are being replaced as looking on streetview they don't look aged.
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Black Sheep

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2021, 10:19:53 AM »

Exactly - the exchange power overhauls are a great example of behind-the-scenes work. Not only having to up-lift the mains feeds and all it's associated work, but the fact that the stand-by generator (Engine set) may also have to be swopped out as well ?? This is a mahoooosive task.

Regarding your pole/chamber (joint box) question - it all depends on the original infrastructure and how 'fluid' it s, as to how they would approach the FTTP task ??

For example, the pole feed cable may be 'Direct in ground' (DiG) cable, this is an wire-armoured cable that does what it says on the tin, it just sits in the ground and isn't fed through a duct. If this was the case, new duct-work would be provided.
Conversley, if yours goes under a road, it most probably will be ducted to the pole-bottom, so yes ... we would have the lads test rod the section and mark up where the stoppage is, and then have it dug and a box put on it.

Poles being replaced is a totally different question though. They could be classed by our pole testers as D-Poles (Dangerous), or they may be to short to carry the flying overhead wires at the now required heights, that would have been different when the poles were originally installed ??

Also on our builds, you may notice completely new poles going up to provide out new FTTP infrastructure. Our remit is to follow the original copper route, however, sometimes it just isn't cost effective and so the lads will notice the local authorities of their intention to provide a pole and place a stake in the ground on-site with a written version of our intent ... in order to give the local residents the chance to contest it.

That's why I love my job, the challenges are similar but unique to every area - veeeeery stressful but rewarding.  :) :) :)   
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tiffy

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2021, 11:11:44 AM »

Apologies for butting in with a "somewhat related" question which BS may be able to answer.

In a relatively large housing complex in my area of some 35 years vintage, telephone (and laterally BB) distribution is overhead from metal poles where there is no visable DP junction box at the top as per the normal wooden distribution poles, wondering how this will work with OH FTTP upgrades?

Virtually all of my urban area where OH feeds are deployed from the normal wooden poles have had the extra fibre box added at the top of the poles, clearly visable with the usual "fibre" marker attached to the bottom of the poles.
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Black Sheep

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2021, 11:29:51 AM »

Apologies for butting in with a "somewhat related" question which BS may be able to answer.

In a relatively large housing complex in my area of some 35 years vintage, telephone (and laterally BB) distribution is overhead from metal poles where there is no visable DP junction box at the top as per the normal wooden distribution poles, wondering how this will work with OH FTTP upgrades?

Virtually all of my urban area where OH feeds are deployed from the normal wooden poles have had the extra fibre box added at the top of the poles, clearly visable with the usual "fibre" marker attached to the bottom of the poles.

These will be what we call 'Hollow poles', tiffy .... they tended to be used near spiked railings and hazards of that nature, as we can't climb wooden poles if there are spikes within a metre of it. Ergo, we would have to go down the oft time-consuming road of using a cherry-picker.

The hollow poles have an access point roughlt 4-5ft above ground, and in there is the 'gubbins' that connects the underground feed cable to all the overhead wires. It would be in this same access point the FTTP guys and gals would fit what is affectionately called, a 'squid'.

HTH ??
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tiffy

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2021, 12:20:15 PM »

@Black Sheep:

Many thanks for the explanation, your inside knowledge and willingness to share is very much appreciated.

Yes, they do look like street lighting poles with the little trap door at the bottom, quite a neat setup really.
For some reason, the particular private housing estate in question deploys these poles throughout.
I have noticed that the FTTP rollout contractors in the area, KN Circet (N.I.), appear to deploy a cherry-picker on all their FTTP aerial installations, have yet to see any of their tech's clinging to a wooden pole.

The aerial distribution side certainly appears to be progressing at a much faster pace, well much more visable anyway in my area, 30 year plus vintage UG feed areas seem to be very problematic with DIG cabling and blocked/broken ducting. 
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Black Sheep

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2021, 07:54:27 AM »

No problem at all, tiffy ... I've gleaned a mammoth amount of information from this wonderful place over the many years, so anything I can do to repay that, I will.  :) :)
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hucknallred

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2021, 11:26:53 AM »

Some interesting replies on here.
Some added info, without giving away my address. The estate is down this road, built in 1995, basically 1 road up & down & a couple of cul-de-sacs, all underground infrastructure.
https://goo.gl/maps/K58q4N1x7xa2BEzQA

Phone lines go to this somewhat distant cabinet, Fibre cabinet further down.
https://goo.gl/maps/YbQw4iskAa5DMTC39

Exchange is Hucknall, a little further down the main road.
https://goo.gl/maps/fwVfe8Ty7e6mkn5H6

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hucknallred

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2021, 12:58:17 PM »

There's a Lightning Services guy in the road down the manholes, presuming this is an OR subbie. I can see the fibre node flipped up in the one he's working in. Not sure if he's putting them in or doing further work? I wasn't going to get too up close whilst he was busy.
I'm presuming not long now until I can order?
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Black Sheep

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Re: FTTP, how long from survey/rodding to go live?
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2021, 04:08:35 PM »

Never heard of them - but that wouldn't be unusual tbh, as they may be a 2nd party/3rd party subby to the main contractor.

We only deal with the the MC.

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