Fibre - where is my ONT box?

I've signed up for fibre broadband. When I was checking prices both Sky and BT said there is already an ONT box on my property when I put the address in. I have no idea where this is. We've been here about 3 years and we don't have fibre and the moment. Where would they have got this information from? Are they just wrong or is the box hidden somewhere? Are there any usual places for it to be? I've checked by the master socket....

In reply to a post by GarrisonHale:

I've signed up for fibre broadband. When I was checking prices both Sky and BT said there is already an ONT box on my property when I put the address in. I have no idea where this is. We've been here about 3 years and we don't have fibre and the moment. Where would they have got this information from? Are they just wrong or is the box hidden somewhere? Are there any usual places for it to be? I've checked by the master socket....

Is it a new build?

If, as Dect asks, this is a new build, were you possibly not the first owner ?

There appears to be a fairly common issue where previous owners move out and take the ONT with them ... it is a useless thing to do, as each is uniquely registered to a property, so won’t work elsewhere, that aside, it isn’t ever the owners property.

All this practice does is cause issues for the next owner/tenant

In reply to a post by GarrisonHale:

Where would they have got this information from?

Check again here.

In reply to a post by GarrisonHale:

Are they just wrong or is the box hidden somewhere? Are there any usual places for it to be? I've checked by the master socket....

If the ONT was present before you bought the property, its possible it is there and connected and you just don't know about it.

Have you checked what Openreach cabling enters the property, near the master socket? There is either an externally mounted box called a customer splice point (CSP) or alternately the cabling could go directly in from the building entry point. Presumably its underground fed?

A good place to check would be in a cupboard where other services are, especially the fuse board.

Kinda depends on the age of the property, and how it might be served, overhead or underground ? Is this maybe a flat ?

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

A good place to check would be in a cupboard where other services are, especially the fuse board.

Totally agree, I was also going to suggest if it was a new build then its likely to appear in the same place for neighbouring properties so could ask one of them.

Totally agree, I was also going to suggest if it was a new build then its likely to appear in the same place for neighbouring properties so could ask one of them.

Yep, another good suggestion

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

A good place to check would be in a cupboard where other services are, especially the fuse board.

Kinda depends on the age of the property, and how it might be served, overhead or underground ? Is this maybe a flat ?

The vagaries of trying to figure stuff out over the Internet....all good suggestions above, but depends on the unique circumstances of the OP and his/her abode.

You guys should screen print "DO NOT REMOVE" on these things rather than 398,000 Openreach logos - pretty as they are

Believe it or not, there’s an idea being promoted at present for stickers with that kinda thing on it to to added by installers .......

Did you ever find it?

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

There appears to be a fairly common issue where previous owners move out and take the ONT with them ... it is a useless thing to do, as each is uniquely registered to a property, so won’t work elsewhere, that aside, it isn’t ever the owners property.

All this practice does is cause issues for the next owner/tenant

This is an Openreach problem, they don't tell people not to remove it, they never told me (but I'm in the know)

In reply to a post by mlmclaren:

This is an Openreach problem, they don't tell people not to remove it, they never told me (but I'm in the know)

Better still when people ring their ISP to notify them that they are moving the home owner should be told not to take the ONT.

In reply to a post by dect:

In reply to a post by mlmclaren:

This is an Openreach problem, they don't tell people not to remove it, they never told me (but I'm in the know)

Better still when people ring their ISP to notify them that they are moving the home owner should be told not to take the ONT.

Won't matter soon enough, Openreach don't want responsibility they'll develop a fibre NTE socket and ISP's will develop kit with fibre inputs, that's what I've seen in other countries.

In reply to a post by mlmclaren:

Won't matter soon enough, Openreach don't want responsibility they'll develop a fibre NTE socket and ISP's will develop kit with fibre inputs, that's what I've seen in other countries.

Personally I can't see that happening here, the LAN port on the ONT is the demarcation point for a very good reason.

We'll see, same thing was said about VDSL back in the day.

In reply to a post by mlmclaren:

We'll see, same thing was said about VDSL back in the day.

Let meet back here in 5 years and see whats happened.

Edited by deleted (Mon 22-Mar-21 14:25:35)

In the case of Openreach ONT’s, I’ve seen a photo , possibly on the BT Consumer forum of a Nokia ONT , and there was a label on it ( as well as the serial number ) advising that the ONT should be left in situ should the householder be moving out.
As the ONT is used to authenticate service , then it’s unlikely third party kit would ever be allowed to replace OR supplied ONT , also the use of kit that requires the consumer to remove the fibre tail from the ONT and plug it into something else, should be avoided , there will always be someone who will give the end a wipe, ( for luck ) contaminate it, then get the equivalent of LOS on their own equipment, call out the network provider who will clean the fibre end, and charge the ISP handsomely for the privilege, the costs passed onto the consumer.

Edited by Iniltous (Mon 14-Mar-22 19:21:27)