Is this the first sign of FTTP?

As I've reported before, Cheltenham has seen quite a flurry of BT/OR activity in recent weeks (the current roadworks map shows 15 separate BT works for this week). in the last couple of days they have been active about 200 m from my cab (due to go FTTP). There are currently two holes dug in the ground (with a third area cordoned off). I walked along for a closer look and it looks like they may have broken into existing ducting and there is now cable joined by a long black block which looks very like the ones seen on a pole at http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_beer/5915610529/i... Is this just a way of splicing the fibre trunking? I've not seen anything that quite matches these in the various photos of installation elsewhere.

There is no cab in the immediate vicinity, nor are there any signs of trenches being dug to connect to manholes.

Now with pic: http://www.ipernity.com/doc/chriskross/11597865. Do those yellow rings signify fibre (since Steve's photos show yellow stripes)?

Edited by chrisadsl (Sat 15-Oct-11 16:26:41)

Looks more like a copper cable repair than splicing two fibres together

The fibre joint stuff I've seen is generally larger

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Looks more like a copper cable repair than splicing two fibres together

The fibre joint stuff I've seen is generally larger

Certainly nothing like the splitters/DP etc. but it's similarity to the pole-mounted gubbins got we wondering. What I didn't say was that the two holes are about 10 m apart and have had the same done to both.

I would agree that is just a standard copper joining box.

Fibre ones are larger:- http://regmedia.co.uk/2011/03/02/splitter_node.jpg (without lid on)

FTTH still needs copper for the phone line so could just be repairs so that is up to 'standard' (if BT have such a thing).

In reply to a post by 5km:

I would agree that is just a standard copper joining box.

Fibre ones are larger:- http://regmedia.co.uk/2011/03/02/splitter_node.jpg (without lid on)

FTTH still needs copper for the phone line so could just be repairs so that is up to 'standard' (if BT have such a thing).

Seems reasonable. I knew it wasn't a splitter, so are those splitter nodes used to connect the fibre trunks together, e.g. at a T-junction?

Yes that would split to serve multiple customers. So that's not really the samething. What you have taken a photo of is a joint, which is different but should be larger, like this:-

http://www.hahosting.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/11...

Thing is we can't be sure what it is, best to read what the cable says, should say if it is twisted pair or micro-duct ... something along those lines anyway.

The second photo in the first flickr.com url, is Fibre.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_beer/5915679525/i...

Note the blown fibre duct (black with yellow lines).

http://www.farina1.com/fibre

Will be slow as on my ADSL line, but has a load of FTTP fibre kit, including tubing examples, and bits and pieces that vanish into the pavement.

Thanks to Andrew for the great set of pics, and for the OP pointers.

When I looked again at Steve Beer's photos I realised of course that that connector block on the pole did not have the fibre cable going into it, so is presumably a copper connector. I also see on closer inspection that what I thought was a cable with yellow rings actually seems to be two cables taped together (with yellow tape), though it looks like a single cable coming out of the other end.

It still seems likely that it's related to the roll-out in some form.

Andrew - That link you posted: How many fibre cores are present in each of the coloured cables, inside the big black cable with yellow rings?

to OP both your flickr pics are just copper cable joints ( UCJ ) and nowt to do with FTTP.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Looks more like a copper cable repair than splicing two fibres together

The fibre joint stuff I've seen is generally larger

Looks like a unibore fibre tube to me. No other reason to put yellow tape around a cable. Fibre tube is not pressurised so can be closed in dside closures.

Looks like a hole dug because of a blockage. Hence the presence of drain rods and rope in the bore.

Edited by deleted (Sat 15-Oct-11 22:50:52)

In reply to a post by btbert:

to OP both your flickr pics are just copper cable joints ( UCJ ) and nowt to do with FTTP.

Unibore fibre tubes can be closed in UCJs. They are not pressurised.

Yellow tracers and tape is the colour of junctions and fibres. Why would a Customer Service Enginner wrap yellow tape around a dside. I wouldn't expect a CSE to have yellow tape in his toolbox.

as i am just a CSE and not a fibre bod you are right .

and your lot were robbed big time today !

well if 8-9 is big !

If referring to http://www.farina1.com/fibre/wgc_media/source/IMG_43...

smaller multi colour bits are tubes down which fibres are blown using the blower in http://www.farina1.com/fibre/wgc_media/source/IMG_44...

and the fibre blown down those tubes splits into many fibres as shown in http://www.farina1.com/fibre/wgc_media/source/IMG_43...

Have some video of the blowing and other bits, which will look at getting online at some point.

In reply to a post by RandomJointer:

In reply to a post by btbert:

I wouldn't expect a CSE to have yellow tape in his toolbox.

Not even for marking the location of buried joints?

The other hole doesn't show the same taping. The original hole I showed is 'above' the one in this pic.

http://u1.ipernity.com/20/21/48/11602148.f1d19a1c.24...

I have yellow tape in my box...

Ahh right, thanks for the reply.

Nice to finally see what a fibre blower looks like The other bit makes sense as well. Give me a bell when that video is online, I'm interested

Follow-up: this morning (Sunday) I went past the side road where the digging is along a main road (PEW for those local) and came across three OR vans (incl one large one with drum of cable in tow) across the road from the junction and feeding cable into the ground. Couldn't tell if it was fibre (is there a quick visual check?). Half an hour later I went along the same road and they had moved several hundred metres further down and very still feeding cable in.

Edited by chrisadsl (Sun 16-Oct-11 11:46:50)

In reply to a post by FRS_Plunderer:

I have yellow tape in my box...

Which cricket team do you play for?