FTTP Survey/Outside Work

I managed to get out of my virgin contract due to issues since going to the 1 Gig package with random packet loss, so jumped at getting BT installed.

Ordered FTTP last Wednesday, the final install is 28th July.

On the order tracker it showed the outside/external appointment was 'Estimated' on Monday past, nothing happened and each day since the date changes to that day and is still estimated.

The FTTP is kci2 assure (2 stage)

I've got a DiG armoured phone line, therefore a duct will need to happen through the garden/driveway and i'd like to make sure they be as neat as possible.

What's the latest they will do this? could it be right up until the PM on final install day?

Thanks

Edited by BuckleZ (Thu 22-Jul-21 21:18:41)

Anything is possible. They might not even have available resource to do the external appointment before the internal. If so, they might cancel the internal appointment, or do the internal install first and the external one afterwards (connecting up at the CSP). Sorry, no hard and fast rules

In reply to a post by BuckleZ:

I've got a DiG armoured phone line, therefore a duct will need to happen through the garden/driveway and i'd like to make sure they be as neat as possible.

What's the latest they will do this? could it be right up until the PM on final install day?

Outside plant work is rarely simple or straightforward. As said above, there are numerous outcomes depending on many factors. You could be up and running in a matter of hours / one day or it may stretch out and take numerous visits. Hopefully not. But sometimes impossible to say with any degree of certainty.

In many industries appointments are being cancelled at short notice due to 'pingdemic', so at this moment in time I wouldn't bank on anything. We have had two boiler services cancelled so far.

So turns out being in N.Ireland it's a bit different, just had a confirmation for the visit tomorrow from KN Circet.

They do the complete install in one here rather than external and internal as separate appointments

Get the stopwatch out...put the kettle on and tin of biscuits at the ready 😀

Well that was a strange install that i wasn't expecting! lol - They dug down into the garden and must of found the partial duct, they brought it up into the garden then trenched it across the grass, brought it into the house and done an internal CSP (small white rectangular box that ive never seen before).

All working and performing better than virgin - thumbs up

In reply to a post by BuckleZ:

All working and performing better than virgin - thumbs up

Very lucky to have both options. I can't wait to leave Virgin's decaying network. Enjoy

Yeah, I had no problems with Virgin until i took the 1 Gig package, and had nothing but issues with packet loss.

In reply to a post by BuckleZ:

Yeah, I had no problems with Virgin until i took the 1 Gig package, and had nothing but issues with packet loss.

I have frequent minor outages (2 or 3 pings lost) and then a few times a week I get an 30 min to 60 min outage. All on coax side in the street, multiple engineers tell me the connection box is "full of rust" but seem to be able to do nothing. Maybe I'll write the CEO !

https://ibb.co/bvVs6x5 new ont

Please what are the embossed letters on the ONT? Thanks.

Cheers!

Edited by Ancient_Mariner (Wed 28-Jul-21 17:50:57)

You mean the internal; CSP?

In reply to a post by jchamier:

multiple engineers tell me the connection box is "full of rust" but seem to be able to do nothing.

Could be worse:
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2021/07/beedsl...

It has OFS on it (the internal CSP)

It's kind-of hard to see, but is the fibre actually entering through that ventilation grille? It looks like there's a second cable coming out next to it as well.

Yeah the fibre comes in via the vent - was asked how to bring it in and it was easiest method - I have a Cat5e through it too - going up to a bedroom upstairs

In reply to a post by candlerb:

Could be worse

Wow, that's impressive!

Thanks. OFS is a manufacturer of fibre equipment. I was expecting to see either BT or Openreach.

Cheers!

No problem mate, the guy said it's very unusual to use an internal CSP but he did.

Do not like the proximity of CSP and ONT - another 100mm up would be better.

I can always move it up if I feel its better

The internal CSP looks a lot better than the grey fitted internally here.

Here is my BQM for a typical day: IPv6 and v4 is similar

OFS are the guys behind InvisiLight which is the ‘low visual intrusion’ slim line fibre solution that Openreach use in some MDU work. That’s probably why it looks a bit nicer than the old splice box which is meant for outdoors.

Really not sure why the installer used that … too small, too fiddly I say.

Should really have an external CSP/Demarcation point, then an ‘inside out’ lead in cable … far more robust

I'm using my android TV to respond to DMZ at the moment until I get my own router setup - my pings are high due to being in N.Ireland

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by candlerb:

Could be worse

Wow, that's impressive!

We had intermittent alarm system faults a few years ago. Was a fairly new system, so I suspected it was a battery fault and just called the alarm engineer out as they’d recently installed a fresh backup battery. The alarm panel is installed in our loft, adjacent to a dormer window.

Alarm installer came in crawled into the loft and then backed out immediately and told me he couldn’t fix it. Why not? As it turned out wasps had come in via a tiny gap in between the roof and dormer flashing and had completely enveloped the alarm unit. It was HUGE, spooky wasp nest and full of rather angry wasps. It looked bloody terrifying.

Anyhow after dusting them for a week or two it was clear that we’d cleared them. By the time we pulled the nest off the wall, we found that that “eaten” most of the backing plasterboard and gotten well into the alarm unit. We cleaned them all out and cleaned the PCB as best we could. Luckily the wiring was all intact (unlike mice or rats). We put it all back together, reset it all and incredibly it came back to life!

👍

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by BuckleZ:

All working and performing better than virgin - thumbs up

Very lucky to have both options. I can't wait to leave Virgin's decaying network. Enjoy

So while the OP has been patiently waiting for a shiny (literally 🤣) brand new FTTP connection, I've been patiently waiting for my 'decaying' Virgin M. service (re)connection at the London property.

Thankfully this is 'just' a backup connection for the primary leased line service. However it has taken them 5 months to install this. Just from the box mind you. I think half a dozen aborted "attempts" at connecting the service - one of which resulted me taking the pruning shears out and chopping off the RG6 connection that they run from the Toby box through the boundary wall laid on top of the garden in green flex conduit and left coiled up whilst nobody was in. They kept returning and wanting to repeat the exercise. Job card says X. This despite me paying them a year earlier during construction to install an UG swept tee from their duct network and into our own 54/56 green UG ducting which another of their civils team had previously roped ....Jeeez truly wept. More long and convoluted saga ensued that I shan't bore you with.

Suffice it to say I have no doubt the left hand knows absolutely nothing of what the right hand is doing in that organisation. Throw the Kelly boys into the mix and you have...the perfect storm!!

Anyhow I have my backup connection now (and a basic TV service) properly installed in the UG duct. I feel like Prince and party like its 1999 all over again (not) 😂