Idea to install FTTP duct using Virgin coax

My house is a bit unusual in that it has very thick walls and is partially undeground.

At the moment I have VM coax coming in at ground level which then goes down about 1.5m and right about 1.5m once inside the property, into a mini "comms" cupboard.

Ideally, if I can get FTTP, the fibre would follow the same path but there's no way to drill there and manually routing would mean taking off lots of plasterboard etc., impossible.

So my idea was to get some 20mm corrugated conduit and run a draw string through it. I'd then disconnect the VM coax internally and push the conduit with the draw string up the VM coax, using it as a guide to reach the external part. As long as the cable wasn't fixed to any internal walls, which I hope it may not have been, my plan could be worth trying?

Do you have a BT line that enters the property?

No, the house had a lot of work done 5yrs ago and only had a coax cable left for Virgin to use to get cable into the house. At the time, FTTP wasn't available and I didn't have the foresight to install a duct then, sadly.

It may be possible to push the flexi / kopex over the coax guide, as long as the distance is short and there are no snags or other cavities/studs/etc along the way that the coax passes through behind the wall etc.

The usual method would be to use the coax as a draw itself and pull through what you need. You may wish to consider pulling through a replacement coax in that case.

Worst case scenario (if you really want to use that route) is to open up walls etc.

Thanks Pheasant. Using the coax as a draw is tempting but it woudl be catastrophic if it failed and I lost that coax run, as I will be continuing with VM for a while yet in parallel.

Get a decent draw tape/wire such as: https://www.screwfix.com/p/nylon-cable-flex-draw-tap...

One end will have a brass ferrule with a small hole and then fit a 20/25mm split (key) ring to it. Put the ring over the coax and then just feed the tape into te duct. The ring will keep it over the coax and it should finally appear at teh other wend.

The chances of your coax not being clipped to anything are slim to none really. An inspection camera would be the best tool here.

as you appear to have access to both ends of the vm route. if it is in a duct take a small piece of cloth and scrunch it in to a bal,l tie a string to it, and with the cloth ball at one end apply a vacum to the other end and suck it through. then use the light weight string to pull a stronger rope back and leave that ready for the nice OR man to use to pull your new fttp cable in

I don't think its that simple unfortunately. My reading of the OP is the VM cable exits from the UG duct and continues 'internally' just as the bare cable. Hence his 'threading' idea.

If there was a duct present internally and reasonably short/few bends, you could simply rod it through and pull another draw in that way.

Interesting idea!

I will buy you a beer for that if we ever meet up!

Cheers!