FTTP MYSTERY

[Ruffles]

Hello all,

I have a bit of a mystery that I'm hoping someone may be able to shed light on. Basically, we live well out in the sticks of Suffolk and currently receive FTTC, good for around 20mb via Uno. The Better broadband Suffolk website does not show us as due for getting FTTP anytime soon (although the neighbouring parish got it last year). However, 2 months ago our lane was closed for a week and workmen were seen burying a cable along the house-less first ½ mile, one of whom told a local it was fibre broadband and would run underground to the first pole, then go overhead. Now, in the last few days, more workmen have appeared and have hung new cables from the (above mentioned) first pole all the way along the lane, past our group of cottages and on towards a couple more cottages a few hundred metres on. This time a different neighbour asked a workman what they were doing, and he said installing fibre broadband and would be finished in a couple of days (They've now left). So, all it sounds promising, but there is no mention on the above site and no mention on the BT/Openreach DSL Checker of FTTP being available, or coming soon.

So, in summary, what's going on?

 

[Meatball]

It could be FoD or OR addressing the USO for those without FTTC.

Have they left cable tails on your pole or are the cables simply looping on (even if via a connector). To be FTTP for yourselves then something like
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/wp-cont...le_with_openreach_ont_fibre_optic_testing.jpg should be fitted to your pole.

As always to be precise needs to be Postcode/Premise specific.

 

[Ruffles]

Hi Meatball,

There's nothing like that on the roadside, but I'll try to get a look round the back tomorrow.

 

[Mark.J]

It could also just be for a private leased line that somebody has ordered, so may not result in FTTP. But that's less likely. I'd suggest putting your community/village/town name through this document to see if it pops up:

https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/documents/Ultrafast%20Full%20Fibre%20Build%20Programme%20-%20October%202021.pdf

 

[Ruffles]

It could be FoD or OR addressing the USO for those without FTTC.

Have they left cable tails on your pole or are the cables simply looping on (even if via a connector). To be FTTP for yourselves then something like
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/wp-cont...le_with_openreach_ont_fibre_optic_testing.jpg should be fitted to your pole.

As always to be precise needs to be Postcode/Premise specific.

I took this shot earlier today, the black box on the left has always been there, but the one on the right is new, fitted by the engineers last week.

 

[Pheasant]

I took this shot earlier today, the black box on the left has always been there, but the one on the right is new, fitted by the engineers last week.View attachment 1831

Definitely Openreach FTTP.

That's a 4-port CBT (connectorised block terminal) - the fibre drop cables to serve up to 4 connections/properties will be connected into that unit.

However it still may take some weeks, possibly even months to enable the new network. Just because the kit appears on the poles doesn't always mean an imminent go live date.

Keep an eye on the the BT Wholesale and Openreach FTTP checkers for an update.

 

[Mark.J]

Hard to tell from that angle, but the nodules at the bottom look like ports for a FTTP Connectorised Block Terminal (CBT). But it only seems to have four ports, so they may not be expecting to connect many properties.

 

[Ruffles]

Thanks both, it sounds ever more promising. Mark, there are only 14 properties in the whole cluster, of which only 2 get their copper from that pole, so it may well be there are more CBTs on the various poles amidst the said group of cottages.

 

[Pheasant]

Thanks both, it sounds ever more promising. Mark, there are only 14 properties in the whole cluster, of which only 2 get their copper from that pole, so it may well be there are more CBTs on the various poles amidst the said group of cottages.

If there isn’t a high density of residences (as I’d expect there wouldn’t really be in rural Suffolk) then OR will provision accordingly. So they wouldn’t for example place 12-port CBTs there if there aren’t 12 properties in the immediate vicinity (c. 50 to 160 metres) of the pole. Sometimes they overlap and run to second pole etc. but you get the gist.

 

[NickMH]

It could also just be for a private leased line that somebody has ordered, so may not result in FTTP. But that's less likely. I'd suggest putting your community/village/town name through this document to see if it pops up:

https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/documents/Ultrafast%20Full%20Fibre%20Build%20Programme%20-%20October%202021.pdf

We had exactly that...a private fibre slap through the middle of our hamlet, OR engineers telling people it was fibre coming to our community.

MASSIVE disappointment when everyone realised it was just for the rich folk on the hill.

Took another 4 years for us to get it...and that was through a CFP.

 

[Ruffles]

Quick update for anyone interested. DSL checker continues to show no mention of FTTP either present or approaching, and the Openreach rollout map also implies we're not in their plans. However, I sent an enquiry to OR, basically saying what I've said here, and they replied that it is indeed FTTP and I should be able to order in a month or so

I guess the moral of the story is be your eyes open and don't rely totally on OR's online info sources.

 

[Brumski]

However, I sent an enquiry to OR, basically saying what I've said here, and they replied that it is indeed FTTP and I should be able to order in a month or so

I guess the moral of the story is be your eyes open and don't rely totally on OR's online info sources.

Sorry to burst your bubble but I wouldn't put much faith in what you've been told.

Let me rephrase that... Just be cautious with what you've been told.

I was assured that FTTP would be available to order imminently by the "Fibre Enquiries Team" over and over again. That was 18 months ago and it all went downhill from there.

Lots of people have had duff information from that team so until you've got an ONT on your wall and the service is active treat everything you're told with a massive pinch of salt. I'm not trying to be negative, merely tempering expectations.

Was it something like this by any chance?

"The good news is that your postcode is in our plans to install our Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) technology in this area. This is a complex technology for us to install, but it delivers ultrafast speeds.

If all goes to plan and we don't come across any unexpected surprises, we hope to complete the work and start taking orders by <insert random date>"