Installation standards

Are there any common standards between altnets, and indeed OR, for fibre installations?

I've got 2 altnets currently building in my viillage. It's not entirely clear, but I think they are overbuilding each other. I assume that eventually OR will build here too, though I'm not on their current published build plan. There doesn't seem to be much to choose between the altnets, so I'm thinking I'll probably go with the first one that offers service. If that turns out to be a bad choice, and I subsequently want to switch, would that mean ripping out the CSP, ONT, maybe fibre too and replacing it all?

Yes, there are standards for installing ducts - there is Openreach developer documentation which you can find easily online.

No, they never share fibre cables, CBTs or ONTs. Some altnets use Openreach's passive infrastructure (i.e. ducts and poles) but they'll always deploy their own cables within it.

In reply to a post by Thaumaturge:

If that turns out to be a bad choice, and I subsequently want to switch, would that mean ripping out the CSP, ONT, maybe fibre too and replacing it all?

You won't "rip out" anything at all. But you will end up with a second fibre and a second ONT, possibly a second CSP depending on how the new provider works.

You can unpower the first ONT, but it stays - just like an Openreach master socket would stay if you took your broadband and phone from Virgin Media.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

You can unpower the first ONT, but it stays - just like an Openreach master socket would stay if you took your broadband and phone from Virgin Media.

Some people do rip out the VM or Openreach master sockets, not understanding these should remain part of the building. Caused chaos for a friend of mine on moving into a flat where no OR master socket could be found. A lot of investigation later found cut wires just outside the door. Crazy!!

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by candlerb:

You can unpower the first ONT, but it stays - just like an Openreach master socket would stay if you took your broadband and phone from Virgin Media.

Some people do rip out the VM or Openreach master sockets, not understanding these should remain part of the building. Caused chaos for a friend of mine on moving into a flat where no OR master socket could be found. A lot of investigation later found cut wires just outside the door. Crazy!!

I had the similar issue with VM when I moved to my current address.
A previous owner had put slabs over where the cable point was.
Took 3 visits and an experienced engineer to resolve it.

Thanks
Dan

Mmm. Perhaps I should be a little more careful in choosing a provider, then. I don't want a wall littered with different boxes...

My plan is to cease my existing copper line once I have an FTTP connection up and working OK. I had kind of hoped that OR would remove the copper cable at that point, but from what you are saying that's unlikely? It's overhead from a pole. OR would presumably still be responsible for any damage it might cause? You might think they would want to remove that liability.

Is my assumption that eventually OR will build fibre everywhere correct? Reasoning is that even when fibre from altnets goes live here, not everyone will take it up. Some will decide they don't need the extra speed, or they don't trust an altnet they've never heard of before. They will stick with FTTC or ADSL, even after PSTN switch off. OR will want to get rid of all its copper sooner or later - that seems to be what the recent Equinox deal with CPs is about. I can't quote chapter and verse, but I imagine there's some Ofcom regulation that means they can't just pull the plug on folks who still have copper without providing some alternative, especially as the cohort is likely to contain older and vulnerable customers? Maybe it will be done on some kind of FTTPod basis, as if they don't get around to it before 2027 then I would think that most here who intend to convert to FTTP will have done so.

It's overhead from a pole. OR would presumably still be responsible for any damage it might cause? You might think they would want to remove that liability.

It might cause ??? More likely to remove it to stop it being damaged.

Your point earlier about expecting Openreach to roll out FTTP because others already are seems a little dubious. They are a private company, and will want to see return on any potential investment … which seems less likely to be made if there’s two Altnets plying their trade there already.

In reply to a post by Thaumaturge:

Is my assumption that eventually OR will build fibre everywhere correct?

Most places but not everywhere.
Openreach won't be able to cover every address with FTTP. Some will simply be too remote/too expensive.
Public funding will help reach the majority but there will definitely be some left out.

I imagine there's some Ofcom regulation that means they can't just pull the plug on folks who still have copper without providing some alternative

Openreach won't leave an entire DSLAM or small exchange running for a single property that's been left out the fibre rollout.
There will be properties that will be left unable to obtain a service from Openreach once all the smaller exchanges are closed down.

Nobody will be left with no service. Alternatives will be offered, such as the Oneweb satellite service.
The UK government has taken a stake in the company and many in the industry expect that kind of service to play a role for the hardest to reach properties.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Your point earlier about expecting Openreach to roll out FTTP because others already are seems a little dubious. They are a private company, and will want to see return on any potential investment … which seems less likely to be made if there’s two Altnets plying their trade there already.

I see OR overbuilding as being in order to protect revenue. If there's an Alt Net and no OR, OR lose revenue. Choice of OR or Alt Net and most folk are likley to stay with a company they know and have heard of.

There's no OR FTTP down my street cos there's no Virgin or CityFibre. I bet as soon as there's a chance of either building, OR will be here PDQ.

Post deleted by Thaumaturge

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Your point earlier about expecting Openreach to roll out FTTP because others already are seems a little dubious.

Sorry, I can't quite see what I wrote that gives you that idea. I think the opposite: with 2 altnets building, there's no sign of extra OR vans in the area. Where I live we are not on OR's build plan before the end of 2026, and as I said, if they don't get around to us before 2027 at the earliest then most people who want FTTP will have switched to one of the altnets before then. As you say, there will be little incentive for OR to build when most of their customers have gone . It looks very much as if OR have abandoned us here regarding fibre, and I should think we are firmly at the back of OR's queue now.

I was wondering what would happen to the people who don't switch, and are still running ADSL or FTTC in 2031?