If its the type of cable I think it is I have a small piece here some place, when the engineers replaced the cables between all our DP's they left a piece several inches long in the kerb when they cleaned up when they was finished that July a year or two ago.
That is likely to be their standard cable, which wasn't pre-connected, where one or more "elements" of 12 fibres are delivered to a DP.
Because it isn't pre-terminated, that cable needs to be spliced at both ends ... so both ends need a node with splice trays. That would be the splitter node, and the old-style fibre DP.
The fibre DP is the point where empty tubing takes over, and is sent up to each manifold.
so that cable coming from the connectorized block will be joint to a cable going back to the splitter, I say this due to that coiled up fibre cable looks only long enough to reach the chamber and that's it.
In one presentation, Neil McRae talked about the new fibre being Corning SST ... because it was small, but had strengtheners that allowed it to break through silt blockages that (in the old method) required a dig.
The SST fibre comes pre-terminated in the connection block, so it has to start from the top of the pole. It will need routing to "wherever", and then splicing.
However, there are no other nodes in this setup where splice trays exist ... so that cable has to go all the way back to the splitter node.
What kind of distance is that?
Splitter nodes can handle 128 premises, so you could assume they can manage 1 or 2 typical streets, and I guess there'll be 3-6 splitter nodes per PCP. In most cases, they're not going to be more than 200m away - less than the distance to a PCP.
Looking at Corning's website, you can see the following as an example of an 8-port connection-block with a pre-connected SST stub cable:
https://goo.gl/KfsYLK
Those come in 4 variants, where the stub can be 50m, 100m, 150m and 200m.
They look to be being sold in the right kind of way.
The only issue I think there will be when using the new connectorized way would be only a cleared underground network would be able to use it, due to there will be several fibre cables going through them where as the old way only one or two cable(s) goes through due to its all daisy chained where as the new way isn't, the new way is Star Connected.
Between the splitter and the DPs, you are right - the pass-through is lost. It ends up replaced by separate SST cables. The question is whether those new cables are slimmer than previously.
The network between Aggregation Node and Splitter Node can still be a daisy-chain. In fact, looking at the architecture diagram in the link earlier, it is envisaged that the distribution from Aggregation node could be changed to BFT tubing, with a simple tube-intercept joint in the chamber.
I am not saying the new way isn't better, just not viable everywhere due to some chambers are linked by smaller piping that might even be blocked or damaged which would restrict the amount of fibre cables being pulled through it.
The available space is definitely a consideration. However, Neil McRae's presentation suggested this fibre is definitely being used to help through blockages.
@MrSaffron has previous articles describing BT's use of ever-smaller fibre cables, so that they can get through in space-challenged environments. I don't know how those cables relate to these ones, though.
As for saving time, I think that isn't entirely true.
Fibre still need to be all spliced and joint up, this all takes time, but all this would be when its all installed as a whole.
As far as I can see, there is still a splice needed in the splitter node, which (as you say) is done at the pre-build stage.
However, at this stage, the majority of the gain comes from being able to beat more blockages without resorting to a dig.
The only saving time would be when the customer orders FTTP, that's where you will see a possible speed increase due to the lack of the need to join a strand of fibre at the DP end and then the customers home/building.
Beyond that, on the final day of appointment, there is no need for a splice at the DP, no need for a splice on the outside of the house, and no need to blow fibre from the DP to the house.
All that is needed is the time to deploy the (connectorised) drop cable from the top of the pole ... which should be the same amount of time as deploying the empty BFT tube drop from the manifold.
IIRC, the old way used one day (without appointment) to get the fibre to the outside of the house, and a second day (with appointment) for the inside. I think the aim is to get this down to just one visit.
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