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FTTP Installation

KJ4
Tuning in

Hello

I've had a guy knock on the door today telling me that Virgin Media FTTP is now available in my area. I was a bit surprised as the road has not been dug up but he told me they use the old BT ducts now.

I am pleased about this as I've been waiting for a FTTP to be available so that I can move my router out of the cupboard at the front of the house.

I asked him if I run a duct under my kitchen if they would pull the cable through it and he said they would and that fibre cables are very small so the duct doesn't need to be too big. However from my research after he left it seems to be that it will be fibre to the front door and then co-ax through the house.

Does anybody know if it will be fibre through the house or co-ax?

 

11 REPLIES 11

goslow
Alessandro Volta

Fibre to a box on the wall outside, inside of which is a converter. This converts the fibre to coax on the inside of the property to connect the VM equipment to.

Probably something along the lines of this

https://www.chatteris.biz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Virgin-Layout-version-3.jpg

although the graphic is from a blog which is a few years old so may not be bang up to date with current equipment.

Thanks for the reply the diagram is very helpful. We are currently installing virgin media wiring into new houses where I work. So I'm just going to get some of the cable and install it myself before they arrive rather than trying to pull a co-ax through a duct.

goslow
Alessandro Volta

You might find the info in the new build handbook useful

https://www.virginmedia.com/content/dam/virginmedia/dotcom/images/shop/downloads/New-Build-Handbook-...

it contains further detailed diagrams and info.

IMHO, I would always put in some conduit if you can and put your VM cable inside that. Makes any further changes easier in the future, if needed, and plastic conduit is not vey expensive.

That was what I was thinking, also make it easier to switch to other FTTP providers in the future if needed

Thanks again for your help Goslow, the new build handbook is very useful.

Andrew-G
Alessandro Volta

@KJ4  So I'm just going to get some of the cable and install it myself before they arrive rather than trying to pull a co-ax through a duct.

Unless you can get VM-supplied coax, then you may be inviting problems.  RG6 doesn't have any meaningful specification these days other than being a catchall term for 75 ohm coax.  Because of the wide range of frequencies that cable internet uses, it is far more susceptible to radio frequency noise ingress.  Ordinary "RG6" coax or even "satellite grade" coax may be inadequately screened, and if that happens it will harm speeds and possibly reliability.  Some is suitable, much of it is not.  Any supplier claims of "VM compatible" or "suitable for cable TV" should be taken in the same way as any Boris promise.

Obviously, if you can get VM supplied cable, and you are competent to make very high quality terminations the technical concerns do not apply, but even so the VM technician who does the installation SHOULD be very suspicious when they arrive, because company policy (and the T&Cs of your contract) is not to allow customers to supply their own cable or make changes on the RF side of things, based on long experience of uncovering problems due to this.   I'd suggest leaving the coax cabling to the VM technician, and either put in a conduit with easy surface access, or a pull rope for cable.  The technician should fit the hub where you want and supply and run the necessary cabling (and don't let them insist they can't do that, it's their job to install where the customer requests).

In terms of the new build handbook, that's what VM demand of housebuilders.  What they themselves do is rarely anything like as professional, and occasionally to the standards of DIY SOS.

goslow
Alessandro Volta

Good points Andrew-G. I had read "installing virgin media wiring into new houses" as installing Virgin Media specification cabling or installing cabling on behalf of VM but, after re-reading, may not mean that. And also agree on leaving any terminations to the VM tech.

Sadly, your DIY SOS link is in a restricted area of the forum. I was hoping to see another comedy gold installation to start the day (to beat the recent 'flying green washing line' install but I think that one might not be beaten, ever).

Andrew-G
Alessandro Volta

Sorry, the link doesn't work due to my hamfisted cut and paste (which was indeed for the infamous green washing line) but to the wrong post.  For those who missed it, here's the correct link.  Sadly the mods appear to have removed my post extolling the many virtues of this installation.

goslow
Alessandro Volta

I think it will be some time before that one is beaten and, indeed, comments in the original topic do seem to have been 'trimmed down' somewhat!