Broadband cable & future proofing

[WWilts]

Openreach superfast broadband cable passes our plot access (in pavement).

Will apply to BT for phone line after laying duct/cable to new dwelling in backland. (unless someone here advises against for some reason)

Question: What telecom cable to put in duct? What specs of cable to be shopped for/ordered?

 

Is there a cost-effective way to future-proof the cable ? (in the expectation that hyperultrasuper fast will come some day)

Found this so far, fibre optic cable. Don't understand the jargon. 

Excel Internal/External Grade Tight Buffered 24 Core 62.5/125 OM1. P/No:200-142

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by WWilts
added fibre optic cable example

[markc]

If you are laying a duct then just put a draw rope in at the same time, that way anyone can pull in whatever cable is required

[Russell griffiths]

Draw rope and a chamber every 100m for an easier pull. 

[Bitpipe]

Superfast BB is still copper to the premises from the street cabinet where the fibre is terminated.

 

We put in 5 pair gel filled cable bough from TLC which meets the BT spec, pulled it into our build, ran through duct, across road and coiled at base of pole.

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CAEXGPO5.html

 

BT will only supply 2 pair by default.

 

Annoyingly, the OR engineer who did the original install did not put our cable up the same protective cover that protected the rest, even through the duct was at the foot of the pole. 

 

Anyway, now a few years on from the install and we started getting BB issues last month. OR came out to take a look and found that the cable had got nicked by whoever last cut the hedge! At one point we were worried that a new cable would need to get pulled through and we did not leave a spare draw string in the duct which was an oversight but OR were able to repair it and all good now.

 

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by Bitpipe

[Ralph]

Openreach dropped off a drum of cable, all the ducting, and the joint box with manhole cover. They even gave us a little drum of draw cord and duct reducers. we're 120meters from the road and they did not charge us a penny.

 

We dug the trench and pulled the cable, it's now waiting for connection. This has been the only problem, getting them out to dig the last 5 meters of trenching on the verge. It's now booked for a few weeks time and I can see that they have a traffic control permit so it should be going ahead.

[Temp]

+1 to leaving draw cord in pipes. When you pull the cable pull another draw rope at same time so you still have one in the pipe. 8mm polypropylene rope from SF or TS.

[Faz]

You want to go for fttp mate.  Keep the copper entirely out of the system.

 

Openreach actually offered it to us for free - we just have to do the trenches and buy a quadrobox. They even keep turning up delivering ducts and bends and all sorts. In rural Cambs (and I mean seriously in the middle of nowhere!) this will give us 900mB/s on current tech - if the network improves the speed will improve with it.

[gc100]

21 hours ago, Faz said:

You want to go for fttp mate.  Keep the copper entirely out of the system.

 

Openreach actually offered it to us for free - we just have to do the trenches and buy a quadrobox. They even keep turning up delivering ducts and bends and all sorts. In rural Cambs (and I mean seriously in the middle of nowhere!) this will give us 900mB/s on current tech - if the network improves the speed will improve with it.

I thought they will only do that for commercial premises and in only certain areas? 

[Faz]

Clearly not - I wonder if they have been put under a bit of pressure to up their game outside of major towns etc?  The chap from Openreach rocked up to us on site offering this before we had even approached them for connections.

Edited July 10, 2021 by Faz

[Thorfun]

FTTP for us too and all the ducting, draw rope, chamber etc delivered for free as well. Like @Faz just have to run the ducts from where the pole will go and they'll come and fit the pole and connect the fibre. 

[Bitpipe]

Lucky you - it's slowly rolling out in our town and I can see the contractors working on it but no idea when it would come down our street - OR engineer who came to repair cable said could be next year, could be 5

[Oz07]

I'm going fibre next month with virgin supposed to average around 200mbs

[Bramco]

23 hours ago, Oz07 said:

I'm going fibre next month with virgin supposed to average around 200mbs

 

Lucky you. Our village has had NTL and then of course Virgin for a long time. But.....

 

They only cabled up the houses on public highways - the house next to our plot which is the 1st house on a private road managed to get them to cable them up. Our plot which is the next one along, they won't entertain...   On top of that it will be some time before we get Openreach full fibre in the village - why would they invest when Virgin have the place sewn up. So it's back to dial up speeds for us on the new build   ?     And 4G reception isn't bright, so that's not really an option.

 

Simon

[joth]

On 10/07/2021 at 18:49, Bitpipe said:

Lucky you - it's slowly rolling out in our town and I can see the contractors working on it but no idea when it would come down our street - OR engineer who came to repair cable said could be next year, could be 5

IKWYM - they're slowly working their way around our town, but say they have no plans to do our street. I think it's because we're in a conservation area and all the cables are underground. Most the town is on overhead pylons and it seems relatively simple for them to pull the fibre to each pole, and then drop it into individual houses as and when requested.

 

Unfortunately our contractor accidentally ripped the old OR copper cable out when digging the soak away, so I'm now on the fence if I get them to pull a new copper wire in anyway. We're currently on VM but with 2 of use working from home both days now, having a redundant fail over seems tempting. (Last time I needed it 4G failover was not a success last time I needed it, as too much of my setup did not like being behind carrier grade NAT)

 

[Oz07]

What do you lot all pay for internet. 

I'm currently paying 40 for internet and SIM only mobile pretty much all unlimited think only 10gb on the phone data though. 

If I move to virgin their low vroom package is like 32, the phone is around 12 quid then you get 5 off if you have both. This is thru business and excludes vat. 

 

Suddenly I think 500 quid a year is a decent chunk of money. 

[Bitpipe]

10 minutes ago, Oz07 said:

What do you lot all pay for internet. 

I'm currently paying 40 for internet and SIM only mobile pretty much all unlimited think only 10gb on the phone data though. 

If I move to virgin their low vroom package is like 32, the phone is around 12 quid then you get 5 off if you have both. This is thru business and excludes vat. 

 

Suddenly I think 500 quid a year is a decent chunk of money. 

 

I have a business broadband deal with Vodafone and it's £17.50 / month, discounted to £15 as the speeds are lower than advertised (25Mb/s is the best we ever get, usually in the 15Mb range). I think that's what it's worth really. Includes a home PSTN line that I never use. On same bill as a SIM only mobile contract so not sure if there's an additional discount - also about £40 total.

 

BT wanted almost £60 for just the broadband and fixed line.

 

All of the services that run on OR copper/fibre (i.e. VDSL2 aka 'super fast broadband') will give you the same speeds, some of the routers are better than others - the VF one is a bit clunky and the BT one was nicer but not worth the premium!

Edited July 12, 2021 by Bitpipe