In reply to a post by Ad_G:

I've seen three approaches used by CityFibre (and VirginMedia on their new stuff).

Microtrench to the curtilage and a toby.
Use PIA and have their equivalent of the CBT on the pole.
Use PIA underground all the way to the house.

CF started doing all their installs using the first approach, but I've seen all three in use now. Seems to depend on the state of the Openreach estate and if cables are directly buried.

https://goo.gl/maps/3bskvd2LgFmSMsT38 - this has a CF box on the pole and if you go down Goodwood Close next to it you will see micro trenching and CF Tobys, so a mix in one area.

Am I seeing CF tobies in the middle of the footway on Goodwood? Or are they water stopcocks. Where ever I've seen CF or VM02 tobies they're always right up against the garden wall/boundary.

For PIA all the way, I'm assuming CF always install their own boxes on the pavement so they come out of the OR duct, split or whatever happens in the box and back down the duct to the house. Ever seen any where they don't install boxes but use the OR pavement box?

Also, what's going on with the motorbike!? Did it die, or was it just sleeping!

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

Am I seeing CF tobies in the middle of the footway on Goodwood? Or are they water stopcocks. Where ever I've seen CF or VM02 tobies they're always right up against the garden wall/boundary.

For PIA all the way, I'm assuming CF always install their own boxes on the pavement so they come out of the OR duct, split or whatever happens in the box and back down the duct to the house. Ever seen any where they don't install boxes but use the OR pavement box?

Also, what's going on with the motorbike!? Did it die, or was it just sleeping!

The circular ones in the middle are water meters, VM (was East Coast Cable) have square ones by the boundary and the CF ones are the newer rectangular tobies near the boundary, not as easy to spot.

Where I've seen PIA all the way underground there are CF green boxes around and looks like their own ducts from them towards CF exchange based on where the tarmac has been dug.

No idea on the Motorbike, the area is near a friends who I've not seen in a while.

In reply to a post by Ad_G:

Where I've seen PIA all the way underground there are CF green boxes around and looks like their own ducts from them towards CF exchange based on where the tarmac has been dug.

Exactly. From the cabinets to the customers are customer drops, they use their own network to the cabinets.

In reply to a post by Woolwich:

In reply to a post by XGS_Is_On:

They only use PIA for the customer drops

What does this mean? (I know what PIA is!) I'm seeing CF build to the curtilage and leave a toby. Or are you talking about dropping from a pole, rather than a duct connection?

It means their only use of PIA is for customer drops. They build their own network up to the drops. The only exception to this is where it's impossible for them to build, and that is super rare as they'll use poles and directional drilling where they have to. They certainly build their own laterals as well - this is how they started their build before starting to use hybrid build, own core with PIA drops, alongside their own drops via laterals and tobies.

In reply to a post by XGS_Is_On:

It means their only use of PIA is for customer drops.

I don't understand what you mean by "customer drops". What does "customer drops" mean?

In reply to a post by XGS_Is_On:

From the cabinets to the customers are customer drops, they use their own network to the cabinets.

If you're saying what I think you're saying, I think you're wrong.

I'm pretty sure CF will PIA into the OR ducting from where ever, run down whole streets using OR, only popping out to nip into their own cabinets, then back down the OR duct to the punters' houses. IOW they also use the OR 'network' of ducts to get to CF cabinets.

I am observing CityFibre digging in their own ducts (proper ducts not shoddy shallow micro tubes ) then dropping off at and PIAing poles. This makes sense to me and replicates the design of the original telephone network.

For those of us who don't know, what is PIA?

In reply to a post by XGS_Is_On:

Seems in many cases they build or extend the core network and return later to handle the FTTH bit. They only use PIA for the customer drops so build their own network past every premises, or at least pole and chamber, they need to cover. VMO2 do the same thing when building FTTP via PIA: own core duct and cabinets connecting to Openreach infrastructure.

Far from uncommon to have a first dig then overlay that with FTTP microduct.

Doesn't mean they've forgotten anyone, presumably it reflects the resources they have available and the build requirements. The build plans are done by professionals who know what they're doing, so there's obviously a method to the apparent madness.

You can actually see this from companies that are exclusively or largely PIA, too. From the POV of streetworks you'll see a bit of duct unblocking between chambers, some cabling work, some new chambers next to Openreach nodes, then later on a bunch more duct unlocking in adjacent areas as they branch out from the core to Openreach DPs and hit blockages on the way.

What you said seems to be playing out, starting to see more roadworks pop up on BIDB now after a period of nothing, so maybe this is the FTTH bit.