FTTP on Demand

[Pheasant Surprise]

Notice also that B4RN are using “symmetric” gigabit Ethernet like on an ordinary Ethernet network.

This is a superior system to GPON which BT/Openreach decided to use as their standard for FTTP.

GPON is asymmetric - download will always be much greater than upload speed. Kind of like DSL

The B4RN network behaves much more like a “leased line” service where up/down speed is pretty much the same.

 

[Steevo]

Notice also that B4RN are using “symmetric” gigabit Ethernet like on an ordinary Ethernet network.

This is a superior system to GPON which BT/Openreach decided to use as their standard for FTTP.

GPON is asymmetric - download will always be much greater than upload speed. Kind of like DSL

The B4RN network behaves much more like a “leased line” service where up/down speed is pretty much the same.

Gigaclear is the same I believe.

 

[Chapelton]

Slightly off topic but what’s the going rate for a pole wayleave these days? Openreach are looking to install 5 and it would be useful to know where we should be aiming.

The good news is we’ve been waiting 12 weeks for them to connect the office to the fibre junction box 15m away for FTTP so we might finally have some leverage on them.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Gigaclear is the same I believe.

Superior system, without doubt. The only reason that BT/Openreach choose the alternative is that it significantly reduces their equipment cost base or it did when they first decided what architecture to use for FTTP - basically one single GPON port back at the exchange can get “split” to serve up to 128 customers...so they get a lot of bang for buck!

The alternative architecture that folks like Gigaclear and B4RN use requires a dedicated fibre all the way back to their Point of Presence (where they have their active kit installed). Basically like a large network you would install inside a building.

Each client connection needs one port on the gear so they need more ports/laser transceivers - but these have become so cheap now anyway, you can buy a SFP type laser transceiver that will run 1000Mbit/s Ethernet for up to 10km on single-mode fibre, for less than £20 wholesale. Indeed entire Gigabit switches that contain the SFP modules are pretty cheap now too.

It’s all described here:
https://b4rn.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/B4RN-Business-Plan-v5-2-watermarked..pdf

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Just in case anyone who is contemplating FTTPoD wants to get a "broader" view on likely install costs, here is a link to a list of install costs around the country, as compiled by some guys on the thinkbroadband forum:

Most folks would have applied for the DCMS gigabit voucher, so their actual costs would be £3K to £3.5k (if business) or £1K to £1.5K (if residential) less than shown in column D...

FTTPoD Desktop Quotes and Final Prices

 

[Steevo]

Just in case anyone who is contemplating FTTPoD wants to get a "broader" view on likely install costs, here is a link to a list of install costs around the country, as compiled by some guys on the thinkbroadband forum:

Most folks would have applied for the DCMS gigabit voucher, so their actual costs would be £3K to £3.5k (if business) or £1K to £1.5K (if residential) less than shown in column D...

FTTPoD Desktop Quotes and Final Prices

View attachment 809958

Only 4 final quotes were higher than desktop. An unlucky few!

Shows how accurate the desktop survey is!

 

[upnortheast]

Looks good this morning. Couple of vans at the manhole on the main road Looked like some serious splicing going on

Live in June would be good

Looks like Avonline networks take their holidays in June. No activity at all this last 2 weeks.
Coil of wire taped to the pole next to the manhole where the main line runs, Looks to be the only outstanding job
Frustrates me every time I drive past

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

So getting along just fine with the new FTTP service.

Had a good lesson in don't put all your eggs in one basket this week. Basically some "unplanned downtime" when the UPS battery unexpectedly shat itself in the network cupboard. So that took the power down for the Openreach fibre ONT (optical network termination - the box which turns the broadband signal from light pulses on glass to electrical pulses on copper for the router) and also two small Netgear switches, got knocked out.

The Openreach ONT box has some re-chargeable AA sized batteries in there and that managed to keep the fibre connection alive for about three and a bit hours, not too bad, then it too died. So no fibre broadband.

The main router is located up in the loft, so it continued to hum away and it was a good test of the failover to 4G. That side worked perfectly well, didn't actually skip a beat. So half the network in the house/office/rest of the property was dead but we still had working broadband (and some Wifi)

Got another battery for the UPS, so its all tickety-boo again

 

[upnortheast]

This on the screen today
Maybe run a sweepstake on how long it takes for them to install

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

This on the screen today
Maybe run a sweepstake on how long it takes for them to install
View attachment 816876

What does dsl checker say when you run an address check? That’s usually the most accurate database.

 

[upnortheast]

Installation date 11th July ,Seeing is believing

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Installation date 11th July ,Seeing is believing

If they’ve called and made an actual appointment with you then they’ll keep to it.

If on the other hand that’s the date on a BT Group website.....lets take bets

 

[upnortheast]

Rang EE initialy as they were on the list who can provide a FTTP contract. Said they could not, only BT.
Is this the same as you mentioned @Pheasant Surprise - Will become open to all after 12 ? months

 

[Daniel]

Parents house recently had fttp installed, they've gone from 0.5mb to 50mb download. From the way the needle banged round to 50mb and stopped there I'd say their contract caps the speed at that?

My house 3 miles away is still not eligible, sometimes it struggles with Peppa Pig on Netflix, which is a real problem....

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Rang EE initialy as they were on the list who can provide a FTTP contract. Said they could not, only BT.
Is this the same as you mentioned @Pheasant Surprise - Will become open to all after 12 ? months

Don’t think EE can perhaps offer you service. That’s all. Your not tied into a12 month lock in as you are with “on demand” FTTP. But I can only speak from my experience with “on demand” which is completely different.

Check what your status is with DSL Checker. If you have “native” FTTP ready to go then it will report back either “1 Stage” or “2 stage”

1 Stage is good and means the comms provider/ISP should be able to almost immediately (well a week or so) connect you as the gear is all there and they just need to pull in a new cable from the CBT to your place.

I’d check on that first and approach some other ISPs.

 

[upnortheast]

Here we go -

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Here we go -
View attachment 817194

Try these guys and see what they have to say:
https://www.aquiss.net/unlimited-fttp-fibre-broadband

 

[upnortheast]

@Pheasant Surprise Have I read somewhere we will need 2 x 13a sockets to power the FTTP boxes ?

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

@Pheasant Surprise Have I read somewhere we will need 2 x 13a sockets to power the FTTP boxes ?

Just a single standard socket. It’s only a little 12v plug pack.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

@upnortheast the fibre ONT box that Openreach install does have its own little rechargeable backup supply, using 4 x AA size NiMh batteries. It’s good enough for around 3.5 hours without mains supply.

If you need more operation time without mains, I’d suggest you connect power to your fibre ONT box (and main network router etc) using a small uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

This means that you will still have broadband in the event of an extended power failure. You can get small APC/Schneider UPS units from Amazon for about £65 or so. With the backup inside the ONT you should have a total of around 12+ hours of operation in the event of a power fail.

Having a little UPS there is possibly more important if you decide to do away with the copper service (for voice) and run your telephone using a Voice over IP (VoIP) service over your fibre broadband.

Otherwise if you have decent mobile service then that’s probably a good enough backup.