SW Scotland fibre query

I was not aware that fibre roll-out was imminent in our area (DG7). But had noticed a strange green pipe being laid everywhere (even up some pretty small back water country roads). At first I thought it was some sort of drainage pipe, but a couple of local folks have said that it's something to do with laying fibre optic cables! Anyone know if this sort of pipe is used for this?

I've tried checking my exchange and it says "no date for fibre...".

Thanks...

edit. This looks a bit more promising http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/
Putting in my postcode says "under evaluation".
Though whether they would come out the extra mile for me is probably doubtful (as only a handful of properties up this road).

Edited by MrBeeline (Fri 15-Nov-13 18:11:53)

The stuff used to connect cabinets to the exchange is black (1 inch diameter - 25mm in modern) with a yellow stripe. So green is a little different, down to the Openreach people to suggest what colour they use for the main ducting. http://www.coolwebhome.co.uk/fibre-cornwall/images/f... is a picture of a pavement chamber showing grey poly pipe with the standard black fibre tube in it.

Under Evaluation is the lowest on the scale of positive, so you might get something but I would not be getting too excited.

Remember that places like schools, libraries and other commercial premises can get fibre independently of us poor old consumers

You've covered it, all Openreach ducting will be grey.

Green ducting is usually, well round here, for Virgin Cable Media stuff.

Thanks for the reply. I'll rein in my excitement...

The pipe/ducting that was getting laid looked quite strange on closer inspection. Looking at a cross section of the pipe end, it looked as though there were several smaller (1inch or so) other pipes running inside the main pipe. Unless it was an illusion and this was just some sort of end cap on each length of pipe. If I see any workmen about, I'll stop and be very nosy and ask.

TBC

Edit. Can't be electricity related, as it's all overhead wires round here. Can't be waste water, as everyone will be on a sceptic tank and the mains water was all re-done round here a couple of years back (and that's usually blue pipes). Intriguing....

Edited by MrBeeline (Fri 15-Nov-13 21:12:00)

What you describe sounds like a pipe with subduct in it. This can be used for fibre cables so that you can pull each through without damaging the rest. If someone is lucky they may be getting FTTP! ( didn't know it was done in green though!)

If the area is really rural but with small clusters of houses FTTP can be more cost effective than FTTC. It doesn't need a cabinet installing that would cope with 128 lines, doesn't require mains power, thus is good for clusters of 20 to 60 houses, usually a PON covers up to 32 groups of 32 endpoints, but each group can be a long way from the others. This is ideal for scattered groups of rural houses ( not isolated ones).

As the splitters are passive no power is required but the cabling costs to reach each house are higher than using the existing copper.

Quite often those sites covered by BDUK ( or other grant money) will go surprisingly quickly from under evaluation to coming soon to accepting orders. This seems to be due to the facts that once they have done the detailed planning to see how to do it they implement it straight away. ( The restriction may be planners as the work can be done by contractors).

The rollout in North West Wales has been done in the fast track way from watching the openreach lists.

Example of Openreach fibre pipe with its sub ducts

http://www.coolwebhome.co.uk/fibre-milton-keynes/wgc...

Is the 'Rest of Scotland' map on the page below any use to you?

http://www.digitalscotland.org/superfast-broadband/c...

Del

In reply to a post by delone:

Is the 'Rest of Scotland' map on the page below any use to you?

http://www.digitalscotland.org/superfast-broadband/c...

Del

Thanks for that. Not come across this site before. You can leave your email address and they will keep you notified of progress.

There does appear to be a fair amount of green/purple coloured bits round my way. So that's anywhere between July 2014 and December 2017. Though unluckily I suspect that I might be living in one of the little white coloured areas on the map (IE. stiil under evaluation). Someone did rather unkindly describe my road as the "[censored] end of nowhere"... slight exageration really, but my cousin is a real townie from Birmingaham.

Thanks again.

O'well... there at least appears to be some sort of commitment up in good old Scotlandshire.

Edited by MrBeeline (Sun 17-Nov-13 21:11:56)