FTTP order placed, not sure it will be viable for install...

I'm trying to get FTTP on a community allotment. The site office is at the back corner to where the pole is (the pole is actually in our grounds). I've placed an order for FTTP and it has a committed date, but I'm worried they will turn up and just say "no".

Below is the site. The pole (FTTP enabled with spare CBT ports) is bottom right. The site office is top left. There is also another FTTP pole on the right, which is a slightly shorter distance but a tree potentially in the way.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k-OPml4cT4gc0nLPiss...

Below is a street view, you can see the pole in the grounds, and the site office is just beyond the greenhouse you can see far left.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CZicgj3n-S4ZFr1Pt3R...

The distance from the pole in the grounds to the site office is around 58m, and from the pole outside to the site office is around 48m. The site office is around 2.5m in height where it would anchor to. I could put a pole up to get it higher if required as I am mounting an outdoor AP at around 3.5m height also.

Does anyone have any experience on this and if I can help prep the install in any way?

Thanks!

Edited by jamestbb (Tue 15-Sep-26 21:56:58)

Ooof! Purely on distance alone you should sneak under the maximum for a drop cable from that pole to the site office.

However the serving pole will need to be up to the task, and I think you'll need more height (with good anchoring) at the site office end which may be the thing that scuppers the plan...it's a close call.

Edited by Pheasant (Tue 15-Sep-26 21:47:17)

Is there a "maximum" and how is it defined? Is 2.5m height at the site office suitable or does it need to be higher?

68 metres is the nominal maximum span from pole to a premises I believe.

Height is more about clearance, especially carriageways - though you're not crossing any carriageways per se, but you really don't want that fibre low - or able to be accidentally snagged by any other vehicles etc moving about the plot in future. 2.5 metres at one end, over that span seems a bit low to me.

Edit: looking at your site photo, the run may miss the driveway /parking hatched area. So could be OK. Just make sure no one is carrying a long ladder over their shoulder near the site office 😂

Edited by Pheasant (Tue 15-Sep-26 22:08:04)

2.5m is unacceptably low … but is on private(maybe) land, so *might* be OK.

The span that crosses the road would be a big no-no, 4.9m (I think, the brain is dulling) or above is what is required over the road. No installer in their right mind would attach to some random item you suggest they use .

Getting cables through trees is very common practice , and often easier done than one might think.

The service will be planned to use a specific CBT .. and that is where it should be supplied from .

Is there anything I can do pre-install to help? I am planning to install a metal pole on the side of the cabin to install an outdoor AP at around 3.5m height - could/would they utilise this also?

What are the other options? Install another pole near the site office? Run the cable along the fencing?

Edited by jamestbb (Tue 15-Sep-26 22:12:35)

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

The span that crosses the road would be a big no-no, 4.9m (I think, the brain is dulling) or above is what is required over the road.

Think it's higher than that Zarjaz, like 5.9m over a carriageway. Private land is another matter.

In reply to a post by jamestbb:

The pole (FTTP enabled with spare CBT ports) is bottom right. The site office is top left. There is also another FTTP pole on the right, which is a slightly shorter distance but a tree potentially in the way.

Sorry I completely missed this bit.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

The service will be planned to use a specific CBT .. and that is where it should be supplied from .

...and Zarjaz is 100% correct - only Openreach will know which of the two CBTs your connection will be from. Its one or the other not an either or job.

So until that's determined you may be slightly second guessing yourself as to the route.

If it was me, I would wait and see and discuss with them. If the worst comes to the worst and they can't install on the day, it will need to be re-scheduled, but you'll know the actual route they want to take etc.

You'll be fine, worse case they drop another pole in somewhere on the allotment site. You have a UPRN, it let you order, let the process work its way through. Brace for a delay though but there's no reason that order should be cancelled.

Is a new pole chargeable or do Openreach facilitate this at their own cost if it's the only way to provide service?

What if it's a contractor (Kelly's/M.J.Q), can they still refer this back for extra work/help?

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

The span that crosses the road would be a big no-no, 4.9m (I think, the brain is dulling) or above is what is required over the road.

Think it's higher than that Zarjaz, like 5.9m over a carriageway. Private land is another matter.

You are right, thank you.. late in the evening for me … and my memory is poor at times.

5.9m for a newly erected span, and between 5.9 and 5.5 on an existing span (and a ticket raised for remedial work) below 5.2 .. and the pole may only be accessed from a hoist or a scaffold.

Pheasant’s advice …

If it was me, I would wait and see and discuss with them. If the worst comes to the worst and they can't install on the day, it will need to be re-scheduled, but you'll know the actual route they want to take etc.

… is the correct advice.

Your suggestion of clipping round the external fence line is dubious too. Too easily cut by people trimming plants, or vandals etc.

If you get a contractor, it seems likely they will drop it like a hot potato … if they further the task (incomplete for additional work required) then you should eventually get an actual Openreach bod on site.

Good luck, and please update the thread once resolved it’s useful for others to read.

My experience with a non-standard installation is that Openreach sent a contractor that turned up, said 'too difficult' and cleared off.
Openreach made another appointment two working days later. The OR tech that turned up was brilliant. When a problem arose that meant they would have to do a second visit, he carried on to do the internal work so they could connect without entering the premises. As it was, a supervisor arrived with the required spiked fence guard and the pair of them worked late to finish off.
An upstream problem meant we didn't get connected that day but that was resolved quickly.

Engineers do have scope to request a reroute to an alternative CBT, but it would be best to serve from the CBT within the grounds so it avoids a road crossing and possibly height issues

Thanks Zarjaz,

The fence clipping would not be a viable option as you say, I'm just exploring the art of the possible, it's not something I would want or push for generally.

Is there a possibility that the service cannot be provided, or just more likely it will take time if they need additional works (like a carrier pole further down the allotment)? I don't mind this of course, whatever needs doing to provide service.

I'm trying to set expectations with our charity trustees who manage the allotment gardens.

Thanks

Fixing to the far side of the building with a longer bracket will give extra height.

Height over the road is the key issue. However it is the wild west out there nowadays and in practice, I don't think rules on pole loading and height are taken much notice of any more.

Let us know how you get on.

In reply to a post by jamestbb:

I'm trying to get FTTP on a community allotment. The site office is at the back corner to where the pole is (the pole is actually in our grounds). I've placed an order for FTTP and it has a committed date, but I'm worried they will turn up and just say "no".


Thanks!

The really sensible solution is.

First of all normally you can't swap cbts, your premise is allocated to a cbt. In this case they may be able to do it given the short span between the two. Theres only one been one suggested case of a user being swaped cbts and that was an estate based install from my memory.

If you are connected to the lower right cbt, then a second pole could be errected to cover the span. YOu should in theory need a new wayleave unless the existing wayleave covered the existing pole.

Yeah - not sure of the history as to why the current pole is inside the grounds - this pole is old and probably existed way before it was gated off.

Is there a possibility that the service cannot be provided, or just more likely it will take time if they need additional works (like a carrier pole further down the allotment)? I don't mind this of course, whatever needs doing to provide service.

My guess is, it will just take extra time.

Keep the pressure on your chosen ISP, ‘yes, we really want this done please’ .. and try not to fog the issue with them, trying to be ‘helpful’ and explain the issues as you see them.

Good luck.

Fixing to the far side of the building with a longer bracket will give extra height

Indeed it will … but with the eaves at 2.5m, I can envisage the dw being used for growing runner beans !

Height over the road is the key issue. However it is the wild west out there nowadays and in practice, I don't think rules on pole loading and height are taken much notice of any more.

Very true. I reckon most couldn’t spell DILOR these days. 😉

In reply to a post by jamestbb:

The distance from the pole in the grounds to the site office is around 58m, and from the pole outside to the site office is around 48m. The site office is around 2.5m in height where it would anchor to. I could put a pole up to get it higher if required as I am mounting an outdoor AP at around 3.5m height also.

Distance should be OK ... and the drop from the pole on site does not cross a highway. Just think of running a drop to a bungalow - it would be a similar height to where yours will end.

If you are putting a AP up on a pole - make sure you include a lightning/surge arrestor .

In reply to a post by jamestbb:

Is there a possibility that the service cannot be provided, or just more likely it will take time if they need additional works (like a carrier pole further down the allotment)? I don't mind this of course, whatever needs doing to provide service.

My experience is: if the computer says "yes" and accepts the order, very likely it will get delivered one way or another.

My experience comes from having FTTPoD installed in 2019. The address checker marked three additional properties as having FTTP available - but these were not all my direct neighbours. Our road has unusual numbering which is linear rather than odd/even for each side, so I suspect they just activated the wrong properties.

Anyway, one of them (3 doors down) was told by Vodafone that FTTP was available, so they ordered it. When Openreach came to install, they found there was no ducting between the footway box outside my house where the CBT is and theirs. Rather than reject the order, they scheduled a dig between the two footway boxes to install new ducting in the pavement. It took several months, but they got their FTTP in the end.

It would have been a lot cheaper for Openreach to update the database to mark the property as FTTP unavailable!

A quick update. The "committed date" was supposed to be tomorrow (Thursday 24th) but as expected, my ISP called me yesterday to say Openreach need to send out a surveyor and this will take longer, so the appointment for Thursday was cancelled until they can figure out it's all doable.

Out of the blue, this morning, an Openreach engineer called me to say he is on site and looking to do the external work. I popped round and they have a cherry picker and two engineers, and were looking to get the drop wire to the site office from the pole.

I mounted a strong piece of timber to the side of the cabin to get a little extra height and more secure than mounting on the fascia, and they used this with the triangle mount for the drop wire. As there was a tree that the wire had to go through from the pole, they also managed to get some extra height when passing it through by using a tree branch so when it came out the other side it was a few feet higher than the pole itself.

It's plenty high enough and out of harms way of anyone. A few photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jzq1FGSbdRA4pnJk6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bAKYFCZn4RMiqqyAA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qz2z8EJG3DBDMsQY9

They have completed the external works and we now await another engineer to patch it through and install the ONT (something they were not able to do apparently, as they were just there to prove it can be delivered).

Edited by jamestbb (Wed 23-Sep-26 17:35:32)

V. Nice. 👍 I’d make sure that timber vertical is nice and secure. There will be some load on it in winter stormy weather with that long drop.

they also managed to get some extra height when passing it through by using a tree branch so when it came out the other side it was a few feet higher than the pole itself.

Please tell me it’s not taught through the tree. If it is, it’ll rub through when windy.

Not taught no. I watched them do it and they even said this.

In reply to a post by jamestbb:

Not taught no. I watched them do it and they even said this.

Fair enough.

Hopefully the rest goes as smoothly.

Should be, the external CSP is now there so just a case of popping it through the wall to the ONT. Frustrating that they couldn't do it there any then, it will take another engineer 10 minutes with it being a timber cabin - small hole through and plug in./test.

Edited by jamestbb (Wed 23-Sep-26 22:54:00)

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

V. Nice. 👍 I’d make sure that timber vertical is nice and secure. There will be some load on it in winter stormy weather with that long drop.

Yeah that need reinforcing, it will come off with the wind in the wrong direction. The quickest way would be a metal pole into a concreate base.so that the load goes virtically down instead of
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so you were assigned the top right cbt then ?

I’d probably chuck in a 4”x4” hardwood post, anchored into some postcrete and tie it to the side of the building using coach bolts at points along the length.

Me, I’d go, get an 8m light carrier pole put in properly.

That would be loads stronger than the poor old ‘D’ that’s holding out for dear life serving mine 🙅‍♀️😂

This reminds me of a similar situation I was in. Fibre needed to run from a post to a single storey building across a garden to replace copper which was pinned to second building between the two. Kelly came twice and said it was impossible even with a hoist. Then a couple of Openreach guys turned up and they had it all finished within half an hour despite having to thread the fibre through a tree and not using the intermediate fixing. Didn't work because BT had sent the wrong router but that is another story!