What is this a sign of?

[MagLuster]

There are currently engineers outside. There's one guy on a cherry picker with an arm full of cables fiddling with my pole and another guy laying out lengths of cable on the pavement all the way down the street.

Why the sudden replacement of all of the drop wires? Is it in preparation for something?

Also the cables laid along the pavement are much longer than the cables from my pole to my house (my house being the furthest from the pole). They go all the way up the street to the next pole.

 

[Brumski]

There are currently engineers outside.

I'd go and ask. A quick "Hi, I'm simply curious, do you mind me asking what you're doing?" is probably going to be more fruitful than people on here guessing.

 

[Matt.Rowley.1990]

Most likely deploying fibre using PIA.

 

[MagLuster]

I'd go and ask. A quick "Hi, I'm simply curious, do you mind me asking what you're doing?" is probably going to be more fruitful than people on here guessing.

I'm not at home right now, The missus has been relaying to me what they're doing but I've got a little more information now.

The guy laying the cables out on the street has pulled them all back now and the one on the cherry picker has them up the pole with him all coiled up. Seems like the guy was measuring the cables between the 2 poles.

Could this be fiber optic cable being fitted?

I've seen a smattering of engineers about the past few days and one with their head in the local cabinet a couple of times.

Considering how little they do around here it's just out of the ordinary for them to seemingly be more active lately and for them to appear to be replacing cables in bulk when there certainly appears to be no problems in the area and they usually just spot repair a fault........if they really REALLY have to!

PS: Shes not comfortable asking. If they're still there when i get home ill give them an ask.

 

[MagLuster]

Most likely deploying fibre using PIA.

Would be awesome if this is the case. My area is usually on the tail end of getting any kind of new tech roll out so I was expecting it to be closer to 2026 TBH.

I've just posted a bit more info above, maybe that can confirm it.

 

[Brumski]

They could be deploying fibre or simply renewing the "D side". The latter may be more likely if they're working in the PCP too.

 

[MagLuster]

They could be deploying fibre or simply renewing the "D side". The latter may be more likely if they're working in the PCP too.

What is the "D side"?

 

[MagLuster]

What is the "D side"?

Looked it up. I mean, i can't understand why they would start replacing stuff that they never cared about before when on the greater timescale fiber is just around the corner anyway.

It looks like they're not pulling anything down but adding to.

 

[Brumski]

It may well be fibre.

That said, you asked us to speculate based on second-hand, is it third-hand, anecdotal snippets, so I was offering one alternative possibility.

As for why they'd care "now" there's a finite amount of pairs in the D-side and impending fibre or not Openreach are obliged, by OFCOM, to maintain copper provision so it may simply be they've run out of pairs and chucking up new aerial cable is a cheap fix.

Hopefully, they're still around by the time you get back.

 

[MagLuster]

It may well be fibre.

That said, you asked us to speculate based on second-hand, is it third-hand, anecdotal snippets, so I was offering one alternative possibility.

As for why they'd care "now" there's a finite amount of pairs in the D-side and impending fibre or not Openreach are obliged, by OFCOM, to maintain copper provision so it may simply be they've run out of pairs and chucking up new aerial cable is a cheap fix.

Hopefully, they're still around by the time you get back.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't questioning you, I was just thinking out loud/theorizing.

I'm home now but the engineers have gone. I'll keep an eye out for them coming back 'cos they obviously haven't finished what they're doing.

It looks like there's a new cable (don't recall seeing that before) coming into the pole by my house from the pole further down the street (towards the cabinet) and offset by a couple of feet below the drop wires. There's also a coiled up cable left hanging loose to about a third way down the pole.

Out of curiosity - on the chance that it is fiber is there any indication on how long until full fiber services become available after fitting these cables?

 

[kommando828]

You need more than cables for fibre so any answer would be speculative. You need CBT's to be installed on the top of poles before being sure its Fibre.

Massive CBT boxes on blocks of flats for FTTP

I hope someone else has some experience or knowledge of this one. Openreach appeared at our complex of flats and started upgrading to give us FTTP, fantastic. The only issue is that they've mounted massive Connectorised Block Terminals (CBT) 2metres up on the front of every building (up to 8...

www.ispreview.co.uk

 

[MagLuster]

You need more than cables for fibre so any answer would be speculative. You need CBT's to be installed on the top of poles before being sure its Fibre.

Massive CBT boxes on blocks of flats for FTTP

I hope someone else has some experience or knowledge of this one. Openreach appeared at our complex of flats and started upgrading to give us FTTP, fantastic. The only issue is that they've mounted massive Connectorised Block Terminals (CBT) 2metres up on the front of every building (up to 8...

www.ispreview.co.uk

There is a black box on top that looks a lot like the right image in that link. I've just never paid attention so don't know if it's new or was already there XD.

Anyway, I'm getting this from the Openreach availability checker now...

"We're starting to build our ultra-fast, ultra-reliable Full Fibre broadband in your area."​

...So I guess that answers my question. Only question now is how long 'til I can actually order it lol.

 

[kommando828]

Can be weeks, months or even cancelled.

 

[dabigm]

I'd go and ask. A quick "Hi, I'm simply curious, do you mind me asking what you're doing?" is probably going to be more fruitful than people on here guessing.

Yep direct approach. I asked the contractors laying fibre for openreach if that's what they were doing. They were. Unfortunately they told me i'd be included but it looks like my street is not now.

 

[MagLuster]

They fitted one of these to the pole yesterday. A check on BT wholesale though says "The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme" and "FTTP is not available.".

 

[cg0]

Do you see any work mentioned on https://bidb.uk in your area from an altnet?

Edit: Ignore me, completely missed where you said OR's website confirmed the rollout earlier.

 

[Pheasant]

They fitted one of these to the pole yesterday. A check on BT wholesale though says "The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme" and "FTTP is not available.".

That’s a Prysmian small TM fibre joint.

These will be positioned on the fibre route. They are splicing together different elements of the fibre run.

On an FTTP serving pole a CBT will be mounted at the top of the pole, from which your drop connection is taken.

Here’s a photo of a pole with this sort of a setup with a joint and a CBT. this is one of several along the fibre path down my lane. Fibre from the splitter node (1/2 mile from me) running at the very top of the pole. Copper is the much thicker cable in the middle.

 

[MagLuster]

Do you see any work mentioned on https://bidb.uk in your area from an altnet?

Says "Zzoomm is planned", "Openreach FTTP is planned", "Full Fibre Ltd is Unknown".

A check with Zzoomm says ill be able to get their services "soon". Their pricing is quite a bit higher to the standard ISPs I would usually get through Openreach but they advertise symmetrical speeds (not that I really need crazy upload speeds).

Anyone know if Zzoomm are any good/a better choice than the usual - BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Plusnet, etc? I'll be looking to get the best end to end stability for gaming and it's nice to see there is another option over the usual suspects coming with this roll out.

Here’s a photo of a pole with this sort of a setup with a joint and a CBT.

That's exactly what the pole just outside my house looks like now.

 

[scoobyjones1]

happened on my street. Fibre from pole to houses....City Fibre in my case.

 

[MagLuster]

happened on my street. Fibre from pole to houses....City Fibre in my case.

Hey scooby, how long was it between you seeing this stuff being installed and you being able order?