Gas Contractors strike again!

Snapped this today at the local gas streetworks that have been ongoing since March!

https://public.sn2.livefilestore.com/y1pHTj9jtCC94RJ...

After having previously smashed up a BT cable duct this time they have dug into the Virgin main ducting. The broken duct has been quickly removed and the cables left draped across the pit.

As well as several house cables there is a fibre cable in there too. They have tried various methods to hold the cables out of the way, suspending above the pit etc. Giving that fibre a good bend and twist!

Wonder if they'll pour the concrete in without replacing the duct next....

Edited by deleted (Thu 12-Jul-12 23:44:08)

Ah well, they've been working in my village for the last several months on the national gas replacement programme, and no damage or impact to any other services including the underground telephone lines. They use an earth sucking machine to excavate holes, but take care even when they do it manually. And they regularly work hard over 11 or even 12 hour days to keep to programme.

I suspect as usual it depends on the local conditions,workmen and the quality of the other services installation as always! And how long they have to wait for Virgin repairs!

Which one is the fiber optic cable, they all look the same to me?

Probably none of them - if there is it will be one that isn't two cables in a figure 8 and it won't go to a house but will go back to the VM network somewhere. Either the picture quality or my eyes aren't up to spotting it. Despite the advertising the run from a VM cabinet to the premises is coax and not fibre (that is why it's also called cable). Quite how the ASA let VM advertise fibre broadband but not ADSL providers is something of a mystery to many.

Edited by kwikbreaks (Sat 04-Aug-12 03:02:53)

Thing is, if you look at the right hand end of the VM cables they look like they are over the gas pipe. Lucky they didnt damage the gas pipe when they were laid!

In reply to a post by kwikbreaks:

Despite the advertising the run from a VM cabinet to the premises is coax and not fibre (that is why it's also called cable). Quite how the ASA let VM advertise fibre broadband but not ADSL providers is something of a mystery to many.

Me too - I was quite irritating when the Virgin salesrep told me their cable has more fibre than BT's FTTC, specifically assuring me Virgin fibre comes "all the way to the end of my drive, it can't come any closer due to Health & Safety". So, if it's all fibre now, they won't mind if I open up that green cabinet of theirs at the end of the street and pull out all that old coax they promise they aren't using any more...?

(If I lean out of the window far enough, I could see the Virgin cabinets to the left, the BT one to my right, give or take one brick wall either side.)

I've seen conflicting answers in various places as to how much of the VM network is fibre. I'm sure it also varies depending on whether you are ex-Telewest or ex-NTL area. I'd love to know for certain, maybe someone who knows could update Wikipedia with correct info?

When my line was installed the engineer did claim that the fibre extended to the 'tap' under the pavement outside my house but who knows whether he was spinning a company line or telling the truth.

I guess the real difference is that FTTC from BT still gives you a variable link speed that you can't fully determine until it is installed, whereas VM will always give you the actual link speed you pay for, hence VM's network is actually more akin to BT's full-fibre (FTTP) products.
(Note: link speed is not the same as actual internet download speed. My impression is that BT have better infrastructure and hence you are more likely to actually download at something comparable to your link speed with them that you are with VM.)

and that is not fibre

that is coax with insulated twisted copper pair moulded alongside coax

the fibre stops at the cabinet and coax to the houses

In reply to a post by Stanman_24:

and that is not fibre

that is coax with insulated twisted copper pair moulded alongside coax

the fibre stops at the cabinet and coax to the houses

Most cabinets are fed by coax too - only some contain an optical node.