In reply to a post by Pheasant:

I’ve had, shall we say mixed luck with ONTs over the years. Didn’t want to jinx the OP. Sometime the gods are with you and sometimes not.

Should really be fine though 🤞😎

Yeah we don't want to jinx it for the OP, most of the potential issues i think we have said about ..

Thanks - yes, I assumed there is always an unknown with these things, so I guess I was just looking for a range of times to expect. An hour, or half a day. But it sounds as if both a possibility. That's fine - always easier to manage with expectation.
Last engineer who came out to fix/replace faulty box took about 15 minutes, and just oozed experience and confidence. Friendly too.

In reply to a post by iDoccy:

Thanks - yes, I assumed there is always an unknown with these things, so I guess I was just looking for a range of times to expect. An hour, or half a day. But it sounds as if both a possibility. That's fine - always easier to manage with expectation.
Last engineer who came out to fix/replace faulty box took about 15 minutes, and just oozed experience and confidence. Friendly too.

we all hope that you have one of those quick installs and do report back with your shiny new toy!

UPDATE 1

OR engineer arrived this morning, to do the 'outside work'.

Used his yellow rod in the duct, and the last section had resistance.
Blocked duct?
Nope - damaged duct, and the rod came out of the duct and through the soil....

https://imgur.com/QlMgAnm

I excavated what I could, but couldn't locate the damaged bit of duct pipe, and where the rod was exiting.
So engineer has just passed the fibre cable on the line the rod took..

He said it was the 'armoured cable' variety, so won't matter being in a bit of soil.

In reply to a post by iDoccy:

UPDATE 1

OR engineer arrived this morning, to do the 'outside work'.

Used his yellow rod in the duct, and the last section had resistance.
Blocked duct?
Nope - damaged duct, and the rod came out of the duct and through the soil....

https://imgur.com/QlMgAnm

I excavated what I could, but couldn't locate the damaged bit of duct pipe, and where the rod was exiting.
So engineer has just passed the fibre cable on the line the rod took..

He said it was the 'armoured cable' variety, so won't matter being in a bit of soil.

Sadly the duct end appears to finish short of current above ground level which means its probably had years of ingression of soil, rocks and stuff which doesn't help, Just my opinion but I think I would have pushed for it to be fixed by a civils team rather than what they have done.

Not so much damaged, rather never installed correctly in the first place it would seem. There really should be no ‘gaps’ in the duct from the bend, running in bare earth, up to the section that runs up the wall. Should be contiguous. Ideally.

The drop cable is external grade cabling, but it’s not armoured in the traditional sense of armouring.

It will probably be fine in the fullness of time, as evidenced by your existing copper cabling (which isn’t armoured either) but you can also quite easily protect the short length of exposed cable with a bit of corrugated conduit (split) and seal the entrance to the duct.

The driveway was extended a few years back. I suspect the digging caused damage to the duct.

I'll get some corrugated conduit..

UPDATE 2
All installed and mostly* working!

Took about 45 minutes.
No new holes drilled - pulled the copper out, and put the fibre through that hole.
Connected router (A&A supplied Technicolor DGA4135) and it took a bit of back and for with A&A to get it up and running.

Ordered the 1000/115, and getting 650/110 via ethernet to the router.
WiFi wasn't working, with devices just dropping the connection after 2-3 seconds, and then trying to reconnect. But I have switched off the router wifi anyway, and connected it to my existing Mesh (BT WholeHome Wifi Mesh AC2600) and getting 450-500 all over my house, so I think on balance that's pretty good!

*The one thing that isn't working is the VOIP.
I have posted my query in the VOIP forum, to ask for help.
https://forums.thinkbroadband.com/voip/f/4771363-hel...

But i wish the router came with detailed instructions and advice on what all the settings mean, and how to configure for VOIP.
A&A have some support pages, but they're quite complicated for a noobie.

In reply to a post by iDoccy:

But i wish the router came with detailed instructions and advice on what all the settings mean, and how to configure for VOIP.

Funny that. We had a post here yesterday which sent me looking for a manual for that router, but there does not appear to be any such thing.

I wouldn't have an ISP supplied router. Had one once, but definitely not a fan of the idea.

Yeah; once I understand more about networking, I would definitely buy a different router. One that came with lots of instructions, and online support!!