New Installation of FTTC Service

Before I get onto what I would like to post, I wish to ask this question:

What is the absolute minimum that an engineer arriving at your property should do to upgrade you to FTTC? Elected to use my own router. ISP is neither BT or Sky.

Perhaps my expectations are greater than my entitlement so I would like to tick all the boxes to ensure I have not been short changed.

I would say the absolute minimum is:

1. Install a new Mark 2 faceplate
2. If ordered do a master socket extension
3. Setup fibre cabinet
4. Install Fibre modem and ensure the sync lights are lit

Anything else is the responsibility of the ISP or if you are using your own router/internal wiring yourself.

If the engineer has the time I would like to think they would also fix any obvious simple internal wiring issues and get you to connect router and check you can browse the web.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

What is the absolute minimum that an engineer arriving at your property should do to upgrade you to FTTC? Elected to use my own router. ISP is neither BT or Sky.

The absolute minimum, at your premises, is nothing if your ISP does self install.

In reply to a post by think26872:

I would say the absolute minimum is:

1. Install a new Mark 2 faceplate
2. If ordered do a master socket extension
3. Setup fibre cabinet
4. Install Fibre modem and ensure the sync lights are lit

Anything else is the responsibility of the ISP or if you are using your own router/internal wiring yourself.

If the engineer has the time I would like to think they would also fix any obvious simple internal wiring issues and get you to connect router and check you can browse the web.

In addition to the above, I would actually expect:
1. Calling to say the line was about to go down.
2. Check the wiring to the master socket is healthy and replace if sub standard.
3. A recommendation of the desired location of the modem and not assume that leaving it on the desk [or what ever] is OK. To fixed the modem to the wall if requested.
4. Determine that the connection is on the right profile.
5. Ensure that an Internet connection can be achieved; direct from the modem if the customer supplied router doesn't accept the new service.
6. Ensure that extension sockets are still working after the upgrade and advise that filters are no longer required.
7. To do a neat and tidy job and ask if it is OK to leave behind unwanted packaging.

If this is not part of the specification of a visit then there is no added benefit from an engineer visit, so we might as well all have self installs.

Well this is what mine did (Kellys engineer)

do work at the cabs
connect MK2 face plate
mess up phone line/number so that we had 2 numbers on the 1 line (neither of which was ours), which we didn't realise until a day or so after when someone phoned mobile and asked why we were not picking up land line.

hopefully yours will be better

I had a mate who had his installed by Openreach and he got the faceplate fitted, master socket moved and modem attached to wall and he stayed until the connection was up and running.

5) They are supposed either to test the connection with kit such as a JDSU, or phone their control centre to have a remote test carried out, to see the line is performing to expectations. Just seeing the sync light come on is not sufficient. 5Mbps on a 60Mbps estimate is not acceptable.

Ah - just spotted a slight error in (3).

The engineer doesn't touch the fibre cabinet, and doesn't even have access to it. The work is at the PCP patching the exchange/cabinet pair to the patch panel that is linked to the fibre cabinet, and the return pair from the fibre cabinet on that panel to the cabinet/premises pair.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

In addition to the above, I would actually expect:

2. Check the wiring to the master socket is healthy and replace if sub standard.
* I think that is normally assumed to be healthy.

3. A recommendation of the desired location of the modem and not assume that leaving it on the desk [or what ever] is OK. To fixed the modem to the wall if requested.
* Unless things have changed, the default after the overheating crisis became wall-mounting, and some people had difficulty preventing it.

4. Determine that the connection is on the right profile.
* Depends what you mean by "Profile".

5. Ensure that an Internet connection can be achieved; direct from the modem if the customer supplied router doesn't accept the new service.
* This is a feature of a "Managed install" which costs the ISP more. With a standard engineer install the router and internet connection are not the engineer's responsibility. Though if the engineer has time they may hang about while you test these things.

6. Ensure that extension sockets are still working after the upgrade and advise that filters are no longer required.
* A good question. Except in the case of installation of an NTE5 to replace an older master socket, I don't think so. The whole point of the new filter is that extension wiring is not touched. If there isn't sufficient spare wire at the master socket to fit the VDSL plate then things are more complicated.

7. To do a neat and tidy job and ask if it is OK to leave behind unwanted packaging.
* Is this an issue?

If this is not part of the specification of a visit then there is no added benefit from an engineer visit, so we might as well all have self installs.
* The problem with self-installs is that the VDSL filter plate is unlikely to be supplied and many users would be unhappy at having to fit it even if it were. Dangly filters are likely to be fitted by users, with all the potential problems that are encountered on ADSLx, but much more severe on VDSL2. Particularly if used on an extension.

Thank you for your response. Nothing more needs to be said. I just wanted to know what to reasonably expect of the engineer. Oddly enough the customer isn't asked to sign off the job unlike, say, a washing machine repair. Doesn't give you the opportunity to say 'Well Done' or write something in French.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

In addition to the above, I would actually expect:

2. Check the wiring to the master socket is healthy and replace if sub standard.
* I think that is normally assumed to be healthy.

Before my install I had noticed an extension coming off a junction box from before the master socket (star wiring). At the time I didn't know that was an issue, but thought it peculiar, so I explicitly brought it to the attention of the installer. He assured me (incorrectly) that there was no problem with it.

I don't know if this was an Openreach installer or a contractor; apart from that he did a good job and didn't hurry over it. The result was an initial sync of around 60Mpbs (around estimate) which quickly deteriorated to below 15Mbps and sometimes below 10Mbps. Once the extension was removed it returned (after some weeks) to over 60, and later firmware upgrades to modem and (I think) cabinet have improved that to 76Mpbs.