Community fibre how do they install infrastructure?

Community fibre how do they install infrastructure?

Just curious how they do it. Do they use telephone poles, ducts or moling to run the fibre? In my area there are some yellow covers on road sides one assumes ground works for grey boxes. Bidb.uk shows a little activity in my area but I'd assume it'll be more for a full roll out the caveat being they don't show historic work and I've only been watching for the last few weeks.

They have partnered with Kingston council in Feb to provide the area with FTTP within 1 to 2 years. Do the streets go live as they go or does the whole area have to be ready before they turn on ordering?

A few blocks away in Ham they already have Community fibre (there's a box right out my sons school)

I asked on their social media but I get the "Soon™"

We're currently inthe delivery phase of a community fibre project. Most of the fibre has been hung from telegraph poles but I'd guess that Openreach will just do whatever id easiest or most cost effiective and that may involve using underground ducts.
Some properties in the project area have already been connected and have service live. We're still waiting patiently.

Others may be able to give a more accurate answer but my understanding of Community Fibre is...

They make use of Openreach infrastructure via PIA (an Openreach product).

If your area has poles they will likely use them. If it's ducted by Openreach they will probably use the ducts.

They jump in and out of Openreach's ducting with their own cabinets dotted around.

It goes live in small chunks.

In reply to a post by sjr:

We're currently inthe delivery phase of a community fibre project. Most of the fibre has been hung from telegraph poles but I'd guess that Openreach will just do whatever id easiest or most cost effiective and that may involve using underground ducts.
Some properties in the project area have already been connected and have service live. We're still waiting patiently.

I think you are talking about an Openreach CFP (community fibre project). That brings Openreach FTTP.

The OP appears to be asking about the company Community Fibre, who are mainly rolling out in London. They have their own network separate to Openreach.

Yes it is confusing, in fact Openreach have changed the name it is now Fibre Community Partnership (FCP)

Thanks for the replies. Yes sorry I was talking about communityfibre.co.uk

Its good to know they have properties go live in dribs and drabs as work is completed (hopefully I'm not one of the last drabs!)

I'm beyond excited about the roll out here. I haven't been this impatient about broadband since the days of the BT blue usb stingray! While stood out side my sons school just ogling the communityfibre.co.uk grey boxes I was willing them the 1200m to my road lol

In reply to a post by smtkelly:

Community fibre how do they install infrastructure?

Just curious how they do it. Do they use telephone poles, ducts or moling to run the fibre? In my area there are some yellow covers on road sides one assumes ground works for grey boxes. Bidb.uk shows a little activity in my area but I'd assume it'll be more for a full roll out the caveat being they don't show historic work and I've only been watching for the last few weeks.

They have partnered with Kingston council in Feb to provide the area with FTTP within 1 to 2 years. Do the streets go live as they go or does the whole area have to be ready before they turn on ordering?

Community Fibre use PIA - which means they use Openreach ducts and/or poles wherever possible and install their own kit

Streets tend to go live relatively quickly once they are RFS though sometimes the equipment can be installed on poles etc but you end up waiting for the connection to their network to be ready.

I'm based in E11 in London and also eagerly awaiting Community Fibre. I had Virgin Media but gave up on them over a year ago as latency was terrible. I'm now with Cuckoo over the phoneline and is generally good, but hoping for great things with Community Fibre.

About a month ago I noticed all the "Post and Telegraph" ducting covers being disturbed with some minor repairs around some. Then a yellow cover for a cabinet appeared on a road nearby and last week a cabinet was installed. I also came across a new chamber on the footpath with Community Fibre branding.

Another tell-tale sign CF is coming is if you search on http://public.londonworks.gov.uk/roadworks/home for upcoming or recent works. They list all public roadworks including ducting changes which will be needed to lay the cable. Just look on the map for telephone icons and you'll see roadworks like this: "CLEAR BLOCKAGES IN FOOTWAY FROM CHAMBER TO CHAMBER"

Edited by ringzer (Mon 12-Sep-22 15:40:55)

TL:DR Does Avonline Networks work on Community fibre installs?

Hello me again, I've been following BIDB and I can see Community fibre installing all over Kingston (mostly in all the places that already have Virgin media/openreach grumble grumble). I think we are in the last 2 or 3 neighbourhoods left. BIDB doesn't show any work listed for here, but my son just spotted a Avonline Networks van parked outside do they work on the Community fibre install?

May not be what you want to hear but I've seen Avonline working on Virgin FTTP infrastructure installations. Don't know about Community Fibre.

ok ty

BIDB did show VM installing Tee somewhere along the main road near us (which I think has VM). Maybe they were having some lunch didn't see them leave their van.

Really odd experience with CF here, the power supply for what I presume will be the nearest CF cabinet to me appeared a few months ago along with the plinth for the cab itself.

A few weeks ago the cab was installed and a guy was working for a few days splicing fibres. Then last week the cab disappeared altogether, very strange!

MH

In reply to a post by smtkelly:

Thanks for the replies. Yes sorry I was talking about communityfibre.co.uk

Yes I can confirm as others have already said, CFL can and do use BT's Ducts and Poles and once they have their infrastructure up there its rather quick to go live.
The actual customer install is very quick, mine was installed within 20 mins and was live 10 mins after that.

---
Paul