Posts Tagged ‘FTTP’

Openreach ONT and BBU Service !

Saturday, August 12th, 2023

I thought I would document this, as I could not find any photos, videos, pictures on the internet, of a complete “legacy” system, as Openreach only supply an ONT at present, no BBU, so you don’t have a larger box, which contains, ONT and BBU, and I found it difficult to remove the BBU, you need to push up and pull ! It does budge, it’s not screwed, e.g. you do not need to remove the entire box from wall and disturb the fibre!

It’s been five years now, since the FTTP (Fibre To The Premises) was installed, and during that time it has worked flawlessly with no issues.

But 2023, we’ve had a few issues and recently in the last week we’ve had two major outages, the first outage lasted 5 hours, which was an underground fault 1000m away, and Openreach just physically moved “the shire” onto another fibre in the  ground.

and then Friday just gone, off for 15 hours, whilst I suspect another fibre cable in the ground had failed.

So this has given me a moment to change the AA batteries in the BBU (battery back unit), which has had a failed RED light on for many years, and Openreach no longer supply/install or replace the batteries in these units, it’s Self Service!

So off to Amazon, to purchase 8 x AA Energiser rechargeable batteries, the specifications state any batteries > 2000mAh

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HOW Andysworld! ULTRAFAST (FTTP) Broadband was installed.

Wednesday, July 4th, 2018

These are my notes, based on discussions with Openreach Engineers, recent discussions with friends (Thanks Peter) which also had FTTP installed in June/July 2018, and my observations of my installation on 3 July 2018.

There seems to be little documentation on the interweb, as to how FTTP/FTTH or Ultrafast broadband is now (July 2018) installed by Openreach. Openreach are now rolling out fibre over poles, because it’s a much cheaper method of delivering fibre to premises (FTTP). Engineers have informed me that deploying fibre underground by Openreach is stopping. (apart from new builds and estates!).

What I had read was out of date, not current, and now incorrect as of writing this (July 2018). It would appear that Openreach and their parent company BT, are reviewing installation techniques and procedures all the time, no doubt to make it quicker. At present based on discussions with Openreach Engineers, this is every 6 months. It may be possible in the future, that Openreach delivers FTTP as “wires” only, and you provide your own fibre router.

At present (July 2018):- Openreach

  • Do not blow fibre to the premises.
  • Do not use a fusion splicer to splice fibre or terminate in the property.

An 8 port fibre manifold is fitted to your telegraph pole which currently supplies your copper telephone line.

8 Fibre Connectors at top of pole

8 Fibre Connectors at top of pole

Fibre manifold before fitting my fibre cable

Fibre manifold before fitting my fibre cable

A ready made fibre cable is used to replace the existing copper telephone cable, this fibre cable is already pre-terminated at the pole end with the correct connector, these cables come in standard lengths, of 55m, 110m and longer. The new fibre cable is a “twin-ax” type infinity symbol looking cable. So only a single cable is connected from property to telegraph pole. This is the best picture I could get, sorry about the quality, normal service will resume as soon as possible!

The new "fibre cable" to house

The new "fibre cable" to house

  1. an armoured cable, and 4 outer layers protects the fragile internal fibre. (for FTTP – broadband)
  2. a copper 2 wire cable is also included. – this is used for copper telephone, and provision of telephone or ADSL 2/2+ if required.
  • Openreach usually fit the optical network terminator (ONT) next to the existing BT NTE5 master socket, but this can be changed, if asked nicely, so you do not need to have NTE5 and ONT near each other!*
  • ONT was secured and mounted on the wall.
  • The existing copper telephone cable at the eyebolt on the property is cut.
telephone line cut!

telephone line cut!

  • Pulley connected to the eyebolt. (I asked Openreach to insert a new eyebolt into the brick work, rather than use the existing on on the wooden soffit!)
  • The new fibre cable is secured to the end of the telephone (copper) line at the telegraph pole, and connects the fibre connector to the manifold on the pole.
fibre cable connected to manifold

fibre cable connected to manifold

  • The new fibre is pulled from the pole to the eyebolt, and it’s then secured. It has to be pulled from the pole, because it’s pre-terminated already when supplied.
  • Copper telephone line is re-connected at the telegraph pole.
  • A hole is drilled from inside the property to the outside, “through” the ONT (it’s done this way to stop any plaster falling of the wall internally, and it can be hidden easier on the outside!)
  • Copper telephone line is connected back to copper line on the property – (telephone restored)**
  • Fibre cable is inserted into building via hole.
  • The cable is stripped, fibre is cleaned, push fit fibre connector is used
  • Light tester is used to check the amount of light coming down the cable is within tolerance.***
  • Connected into ONT.****
External wiring to property notice two distinct cables copper and fibre!

External wiring to property notice two distinct cables copper and fibre! (connector and new eyebolt!)

The new ONT

Openreach Optical Network Terminator

Openreach Optical Network Terminator an AA battery is used to show the size of the ONT, which is massive! This has been used in installations since November 2017, and incorporates the ONT and Battery backup unit, in a special enclosure, to make it look a little smarter and cleaner! The unit is powered in the property, and if power is lost, the battery backup maintains it for 2 hours. (I've tested!)

Openreach Optical Network Terminator

Openreach Optical Network Terminator with panel open! Orange ethernet cable is to my router, green plug is the fibre through the wall!

I’m surprised there is no branding Openreach, or sticker…. just a blank whitebox! The charging light has no gone off, so only lit when charging!

Many Thanks to Peter, Paul, Mike (Openreach Engineer),  and Zen Internet.

*Lots of tea, coffee, sparkling water with ice, 2 plates of cookies and a plate of chocolate McVities digestives was offered and eaten by my two engineers! Keep them sweet!

**At present BT are the only company which have the FVA (Fibre Voice Access – e.g. telephone via Fibre), so at present until Zen have this product my fixed landline telephone lines still comes over copper!

***No fusion splicing!

****New ONT started being used in November 2017. It’s a large box, which incorporates the ONT and Battery Back unit, but all sealed in a larger box.

Here are a couple of web links, which I’ve used to understand FTTP more!

What is FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) Broadband?

Peter’s Business Website

How to build a Fibre Network



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Coming to you via ULTRAFAST (FTTP) Broadband – Activated Today – Journey’s END!

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2018

Like a pig in muck (he he!), and doing broadband speedtests does not get boring!!!

The Openreach Engineers eventually turned-up today, they were supposed to visit on 29 June 2018, but did not arrive despite me taking a whole day off work, waiting for them from 8am – 6pm!

They arrived today at 11.45am, and finished the installation at approximately 2.30pm.

Switch over, occurred at approx 4pm and I’ve gone from:-

1.5Mbps !!!

1.5Mbps !!!

to

7442271213

157Mbps !!!

Almost 100x faster!!! (if I wanted I could up this to 330/40), lets see how we get on!

Where 98% of the UK Internet population used to be faster than me, the tables are turned, and my broadband internet, is now 98% faster than the rest of the UK!!!

I’ll blog later, an update as to how the installation was carried out, because the majority of the FTTP information on the internet is out of date!

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Almost at Journey’s End : UltraFast Broadband FTTP (FTTH) Ordered!

Monday, June 18th, 2018

The story so far, last September 2017, BT Openreach, connected fibre tails to the bottom of my telepgraph pole! It was hoped that we would have Ultrafast broadband installed by Christmas 2017, East Riding of Yorkshire Council (kind of responsible for the BDUK Project) told me it should be by the end of the Year (2017), but nothing happened, and all references to completion disappeared and changed to By the End of 2018!

btopenreachengineers1

In February 2018, Openreach Engineers, came out to the shire, I sent the drone up to spy on them....

and fitted these to the telegraph poles

This is how you know the Pole is Fibre Enabled!

This is how you know the Pole is Fibre Enabled!

and this is my “personal” pole!

8 Fibre Connectors at top of pole

8 Fibre Connectors at top of pole

and another pole

8 Fibre Connectors at top of pole

8 Fibre Connectors at top of pole

But this was February 2018!!!! At the time, I had a long conversation with the Engineers, that stated all was live back to the Exchange, and commissioning should not take too long, and I should be able to place an order in four weeks, which feedback from East Riding of Yorkshire Council also stated March 2018!

So I thought at least when I get back from Holiday in March/April, I should be able to place an order…..

BUT…

Can I get fibre - NO!

Can I get fibre - NO!

I checked daily during the months of April, May and got bored and started to pester East Riding of Yorkshire council again, at the beginning of June…

and to my surprise, after contacting East Riding of Yorkshire it changed to on 6th June 2018! I can order ULTRAFAST Broadband!!!

I’d already started the switch to Zen, for my ADSL, so I can eventually Migrate from ADSL to FTTP with Zen, and the switch was successful to Zen on the 8th June 2018.

EXCITED!!!

EXCITED!!!

So I had a few logistical details to sort out, like empty the server/network cup board of servers, network switches, Dell workstations, so the Openreach engineer when he visits can install the Openreach ONT (fibre terminator!) in the server cupboard, so my house can be connected with glass fibre to the exchange, no COPPER like you FTTC people with max speeds of approx 76Mbps.

So it’s taken a long time in coming, and I would really never have thought that we would be 1 of the 3% in the UK to have ULTRAFAST BROADBAND (FTTP/FTTH), fibre circuit from the shire out in the sticks.

At present Ultrafast maximum speed is 300Mbps download, and 30Mbps upload, but there are not a lot of statistics, because only 3% of the UK population have access to FTTP! It looks like BT (Openreach) are starting with the rural areas, which have had access to poor internet speeds for years, and once completed will revisit the more densely populated areas!

MY ULTRAFAST BROADBAND ORDER WAS SUBMITTED TODAY!

at the same time, I’ve also switched  my BT telephone line to Zen also, so I will be leaving BT after, well I’ve never been with another telephone provider other than BT.

2 July 2018, is the switch to Zen for phone.

and Openreach have scheduled an installation date of Saturday 30 June 2018 – AM, to complete the first part of the installation, which requires internal access to the house, and my server/network cupboard!

and all of the above, is currently cheaper and onto a better and faster package, than BT and Eclipse Internet!!!

Smoke me a kipper….

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GoodBye Eclipse Internet, Hello Zen Internet!

Friday, June 8th, 2018

eclipse_internet

I’ve been loyal to Eclipse Internet for 14 years, I took out my first contract for ADSL Broadband in 2004. Now known as Eclipse, originally based in Exeter, Devon – were acquired by Kingston Communications (KCOM), Hull – just down the road from where I live as it turned out in 2005.

With my Ultrafast broadband (FTTP) coming online soon, I had hoped Eclipse would be able to migrate my existing ADSL Broadband to FTTP, they did originally tell me, they could do it, but on recent communications it would appear Eclipse (KCOM) cannot supply me FTTP.

But, oddly they wanted to charge me some £35+VAT for termination of my broadband package, despite not being in a contract for over 7 years, so the easiest option was to switch to a new ISP, which could offer a path to FTTP,

1024px-zen-final-logo2-_teal

so I’ve now switched to Zen Internet. (which was one of the ISPs I considered 14 years ago).

ADSL (Superfast)  comes over your copper telephone line, Ultrafast (FTTP) comes over fibre directly linked to the BT exchange. Different technologies, so there is no requirement for ADSL (Superfast) and FTTP.  So eventually the ADSL (Superfast) will be terminated over copper, when I’m like with fibre.

I noticed a few broadband restarts at 3am, and the switch was completed at 4.45am.

So I’m now with Zen…. time to order Ultrafast (FTTP!)

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Fibre is coming, Fibre is coming…..

Friday, September 1st, 2017

Hopefully, by Christmas 2017, fibre will be available in “the shire”.

2017-09-01-11_44_43-roadworksorg-live-and-planned-traffic-disruptions

2017-09-01-11_42_43-roadworksorg-live-and-planned-traffic-disruptions


Information from Roadworks.org has proved correct, and more work continues by BT Openreach contractors to now connect “the shire” to the local exchange.

Here are some photographs of the recent works, I’ve noticed that they have been smashing clay “pots” or pipes to get into the current telephone cables.

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