How will fibre be laid?

How do Bt lay the fibre do it follow the original lines? If it does then that means fibre coming here will once again bend back on itself like our lines do?

i presume they don't dig up the road?

It's actually "blown" along the existing ducting. Imagine ducting is a pipe...the fibre cabling is blown along the duting, It's not a fast process, I think about 100metres an hour.

Tubing is placed in the ducts 1st and the fiber is blown through the tubing.
Existing duct will be used as much as possible. May need to dig to clear blockages/collapsed ducts.

If it does then that means fibre coming here will once again bend back on itself like our lines do?

Shouldn't be an issue.

Edited by deleted (Tue 24-Jan-12 12:19:48)

Zyborg

Presume you are asking about FTTP

As the fibre distance doesn't matter, they will follow the cheapest route.

So if ducted, blown down the existing route, then a new piece of subduct to your premises and blown through. If overhead, a new hollow drop 'wire' will be provided then fibre blown through.

The last part of the route is what makes it a two day install, Preparation on the first day, install in the house and set-up on the 2nd day.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

If it does then that means fibre coming here will once again bend back on itself like our lines do?

Does it matter? The fibre could go via Glasgow, Norwich, Dover and Bristol, and you would still receive the full data rates.

In reply to a post by MHC:

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

If it does then that means fibre coming here will once again bend back on itself like our lines do?

Does it matter? The fibre could go via Glasgow, Norwich, Dover and Bristol, and you would still receive the full data rates.

cheers people,

i know what ducting is, just in case it makes me sound thicker than I am i thought that it would via the existing network.

Fibre uses light, so even fibre have limitations, I presume there are boosters along the length to make sure that it is to its full strength.


@kitcat, i am on about FTTC, we are suppose to have our exchange updated to FTTC in June and I was chatting to a neighbour about it and they seemed interested, but was a bit lost on how it would work since our broadband here is not that good.

Our cables goes from the exchange, doubles back to the old Ex-exchange by our Cathedral and then comes back up to us, so about 2 miles in total. via road, ok so the lines don't always go via road, but it gives you a idea.

i told him that it would be fibre to the cabinet and that the distance from the exchange should make no difference, just the distance from the cabinet.

A BT open reach engineer i was chatting to at a mates place last week told me the cabinet that I was likely to be connected to, which would be ok, apart from the fact it is not there

I am still looking about going Wireless if the price is right.

Fibre amplifiers are needed every 100km or so on sub-sea links. So, on terrestrial I would expect much te same.

Repeaters arnt necessary or used for FTTx. The distances do not require it.
The GigE links from Cab to headend are good for around 40km or more and have no repeaters in the route.

Many thanks for that, I had heard they blow it along the duct but couldnt work out how as we have nearly full old clay ducts laid in around 1952.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

@kitcat, i am on about FTTC, we are suppose to have our exchange updated to FTTC in June and I was chatting to a neighbour about it and they seemed interested, but was a bit lost on how it would work since our broadband here is not that good.

OK - forget all that stuff about fibre, ducting, blowing etc - it just doesn't apply to FTTC in any way that will *really* affect you.

Your cabinet (so long as you really do have one) will gain a twin "fibre cabinet" nearby (usually next to it, but certainly within 100 metres). The fibre will go to that cabinet, and could be routed anywhere - and might not even go back to your current exchange.

Your internet connection will then (still) be carried over copper, but only on the segment of copper from the cabinet to the house, plus a new segment of copper that goes between the original cabinet and its new twin. The connection is a variant of DSL called VDSL2.

Our cables goes from the exchange, doubles back to the old Ex-exchange by our Cathedral and then comes back up to us, so about 2 miles in total. via road, ok so the lines don't always go via road, but it gives you a idea.

i told him that it would be fibre to the cabinet and that the distance from the exchange should make no difference, just the distance from the cabinet.

Spot on. If the distance is less than around 600 metres, then so much the better.

A BT open reach engineer i was chatting to at a mates place last week told me the cabinet that I was likely to be connected to, which would be ok, apart from the fact it is not there

And that is the worry... FTTC can only be supplied if you have an existing cabinet. If there is no cabinet (ie you are on an exchange-direct line) then you won't be able to get FTTC.

You'd better try finding that cabinet