Why do I need two FTTP connections?

dogfonos

I've been renegotiating my Broadband and landline 'phone contract and I notice that telecommunication providers are pushing FTTP (to meet government targets?) and will arrange for an OpenReach engineer to make the last leg of the connection from the street outside direct into my property free of charge. Great, but...

Currently, I use FTTC and am happy with my Broadband speed (38Mb/s download) and connection reliability. However, OpenReach intend for their network (if that's the correct term?) to be FTTP to all premises so no doubt I'll be pestered to have that final OpenReach fibre connection installed sometime soon. Thing is, Virgin Media used to provide my broadband + landline 'phone so I already have a (now redundant) fibre connection into my home.

My question is: Is there a way for the VM fibre into my property to be used by OpenReach? Or do I have to suffer the disruption and damage to my front garden (again) by having another set of fibre cables run underground through the garden and into my property?

Thanks for your consideration.

Roland_Sausage

No there's no way for Openreach to use Virgin Media cabling.

Even if the VM connection is fibre (most of them aren't) It won't be happening.

Rodders53

VM cables are normally coaxial cable (with a copper telephone wire in fig 8).  Openreach do not/ can not use Virgin cabling and vice versa.

Openreach fttp will be overhead from a nearby pole in all probability (especially if your FTTC cable uses that route).   IF the current FTTC copper wire gets to your home via an existing underground duct that they might well re-use that for the fibre if it is still 'clear' and not blocked in any way.

Is Openreach FTTP even available to you, yet?  It's not available here or from our Exchange in the next village (even though new builds at the end of my lane allegedly are getting it).

dogfonos

Roland_Sausage said:
Even if the VM connection is fibre (most of them aren't)

Rodders53 said:

VM cables are normally coaxial cable (with a copper telephone wire in fig 8).

I did not know that. Thanks for the info.

Actually, the (what I understood to be) fibre cables were installed by a cable company (Cable & Wireless?), probably late 1990's or early 2000's.

Rodders53 said:

Openreach fttp will be overhead from a nearby pole in all probability (especially if your FTTC cable uses that route).   IF the current FTTC copper wire gets to your home via an existing underground duct that they might well re-use that for the fibre if it is still 'clear' and not blocked in any way.

Sadly, there's no overhead cables in my road - it's all underground. And there's no underground ducting to my property from the road (though it appears my neighbour has a conduit - unused at present).

The existing copper cable from the then BT, was installed long before I purchased the property and is a heavy duty shielded cable - I know because I've accidentally dug it up more than once but finally got round to burying it deeper in the flower beds when I re-jigged the garden. The (what I understood to be) fibre cable was installed in a corrugated, thin plastic sheath which I've also managed to bury deeper after nearly putting a fork through it.

Looks like the garden and hardstanding will have to be dug up again.

Rodders53 said:

Is Openreach FTTP even available to you, yet?  It's not available here or from our Exchange in the next village (even though new builds at the end of my lane allegedly are getting it).

As I understand it, yes, but the OpenReach website Fibre Checker is open to interpretation. When I input my address, I'm offered Ultrafast full fibre BB (1800Mb/s - not that I need that speed) and it tells me I need a new router and an engineer's visit, presumably to make the final fibre cable link from street to home. I live on a semi-rural estate but quite close to London.

iniltous

As stated only VM use your existing coaxial ( not fibre ) connection, although you seemingly are happy with your FTTC connection the fact is Openreach are retiring copper where they can , FTTP is the default network where FTTP is  available….you do have the option to stay on FTTC but it would be in an out of contract basis and potentially not as good from a value for money point of view  , in other words FTTP may be cheaper than FTTC .

If your reluctance to move to FTTP is the upheaval, because your address is if an age ( 1960’s to 19990 ) most likely, that  no Openreach duct exists, then it’s a case of allowing excavation or staying on FTTC ( for the time being)  or use VM 

35har1old

Roland_Sausage said:

No there's no way for Openreach to use Virgin Media cabling.

Even if the VM connection is fibre (most of them aren't) It won't be happening.

There's no way a non fibre cable will give you 1Gig

35har1old

dogfonos said:

I've been renegotiating my Broadband and landline 'phone contract and I notice that telecommunication providers are pushing FTTP (to meet government targets?) and will arrange for an OpenReach engineer to make the last leg of the connection from the street outside direct into my property free of charge. Great, but...

Currently, I use FTTC and am happy with my Broadband speed (38Mb/s download) and connection reliability. However, OpenReach intend for their network (if that's the correct term?) to be FTTP to all premises so no doubt I'll be pestered to have that final OpenReach fibre connection installed sometime soon. Thing is, Virgin Media used to provide my broadband + landline 'phone so I already have a (now redundant) fibre connection into my home.

My question is: Is there a way for the VM fibre into my property to be used by OpenReach? Or do I have to suffer the disruption and damage to my front garden (again) by having another set of fibre cables run underground through the garden and into my property?

Thanks for your consideration.

Where is the nearest BT manhole to your property if no ducts present ex will have to be continued to manhole
The fibre connection needs to come into property at router location you will need a spare socket to run the fibre 
 May be a data connection only

prowla

I have three independent physical connections to my house, of which two are active:

1. Virgin Media: coax, 140 Mbps (has been 1.1 Gbps).
2. Zen, over Citylink FTTP, 900 Mbps.
3. Inactive BT/OpenReach POTS or may be FTTC, which has been has had Sky & EE running over it ~140 Mbps.

I WFH and having a 2nd connection costs less than a return ticket to the office, so the 2nd is an insurance against one supplier having issues (ie. I can just flip to the other and carry on).

The last installer (CityFibre) dug a shallow channel up my garden and filled it in after; TBH it was unnoticeable when they'd done and there were no adverse effects over time.

There did have to be external box and internal fittings for each connection, though.

Roland_Sausage

35har1old said:

Roland_Sausage said:

No there's no way for Openreach to use Virgin Media cabling.

Even if the VM connection is fibre (most of them aren't) It won't be happening.

There's no way a non fibre cable will give you 1Gig

Wrong. Cat 5e can give this for a start. So can coaxial cable, which is what Virgin were using until recently.

OP said it was installed in the late 90's. Virgin have only recently started using fibre to the premises. It will be coax cable.

prowla

35har1old said:

Roland_Sausage said:

No there's no way for Openreach to use Virgin Media cabling.

Even if the VM connection is fibre (most of them aren't) It won't be happening.

There's no way a non fibre cable will give you 1Gig

Roland_Sausage said:

35har1old said:

Roland_Sausage said:

No there's no way for Openreach to use Virgin Media cabling.

Even if the VM connection is fibre (most of them aren't) It won't be happening.

There's no way a non fibre cable will give you 1Gig

Wrong. Cat 5e can give this for a start. So can coaxial cable, which is what Virgin were using until recently.

OP said it was installed in the late 90's. Virgin have only recently started using fibre to the premises. It will be coax cable.

My Virgin connection was 1.1 Gbps over coax.

My new FTTP one is jadvertised as "up to" 900 Mbps.

dogfonos

Staying with an FTTC connection is really only viable in the short term. Having read up on the matter of FTTP/FTTC, I'd need to justify my need to stay on FTTC and disruption to my front garden almost certainly won't be considered a valid reason. Fair enough, I accept that. Even though I still have an inactive Virgin Media connection, I like to have a choice of provider so I'll change to FTTP at some point.

If I can work out where the connection in the street will be made, I'll be in a better position to determine the optimum fibre route from street into my home (from my perspective anyway). On the public pavement, a few inches from my boundary wall, there's a triangular black plastic plate approx 4 or 5 inches each side and it's marked "CATV". I think this is where the original Cable & Wireless cable originated? Will the OpenReach fibre also start at this point?