What wires used for Eir Broadband Installation?

eggerb

I am currently with Virgin Media for broadband and they are using the coaxial cable that was installed for TV when the house was built 15 years ago. I have a telephone connection running from my the Virgin Media router back to my alarm box and I use a separate router for the WiFi in the house. (I just use a single LAN connection from the Virgin Media router to my own router). I am considering moving to another provider such as eir.

Could anybody tell me please what is involved in the Eir broadband installation? I gather there is fibre in the utility boxes outside on the public footpath that eir will use. I assume these fibre cables don't run up to my house so do they replace that wire using the existing ducting?

What wires do they use inside the house? I have an old eircom wire running into the house from the utility box beside my ESB meter to behind my TV. Is this old cable used or is that replaced also? Any insight would be appreciated.. cheers.

The Cush

New fibre cable from the underground chamber all the way to an ONT located inside the house. The old copper cable isn't used.

The new router will be connected to the ONT via ethernet cable. A nearby power point will be required for both ONT and router.

The installer on the day will discuss with you how the fibre will be routed.

eggerb

Thanks for that The Cush.

Will the existing ducting (cable tv or electricity) from my property to the underground chamber on the public path be used for the new fibre cable?

Unfortunately, I’m fairly sure that ducting only runs to the side of my house were my utility boxes are. The location where I’d put my router and ONT are on the other side.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120255544#Comment_120255544

They will use the existing ducting provided it's clear of obstructions.

They can run the fibre externally from the utility enclosures to an entry point agreed by you both.

eggerb

Came across the following guide:

https://www.openeir.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/E00086493-eircus-FTTH-Day-of-Installation.pdf

Surprised to see mention of an overhead drop from a telegraph pole. I assume that’s not very common in urban areas.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120255648#Comment_120255648

Very uncommon; but not unheard of - there are four houses on my road served from a single eir pole - a 1950s council cottage and three 90s bungalows that replaced another 1 or 2 of those cottages. They have underground power; and every other house around has ducted eir copper.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120255648#Comment_120255648

Any housing estates built before the 70s would probably have overhead drops, anything late 70s onwards would probably have a pipe direct from the boxes in the public pavements to inside the front door or to a point outside like the ESB boxes.

Lime Tree Farm

We were plagued with electronics being hit by lightning through the old EIR copper telephone line. Will the fiber optic be earthed or is there still the danger of equipment being hit.

phog

Fibre isn't really a conductor like copper is for lightning. Shouldn't be an issue.

Should add - the ONT and the modem is plugged into the mains and an electrical surge could cause an outage. I know you can get anti surge plugs but I'm not sure how good they are for a lightning strike

eggerb

Thanks everybody - much appreciated. Much wiser now.

Quick question if I could hijack my own thread please .. I’m using the Virgin Media telephone service to connect to the dialler on my alarm box and it works fine to call our mobiles if the alarm is activated. There’s a normal dial tone on it which I think my alarm panel listens for before dialling. I have some cordless handsets on it too and they work fine.

My question .. for the fibre service offered by the likes of eir and Vodafone, if I sign up for a telephone service, will I get a normal line that I can use with my alarm and wireless handsets? Will the ‘tel’ output on my eir or Vodafone modem work the same as the ‘tel’ output on the Virgin Media router?

babelfish1990

Yes - the routers used by eir and others with a voice service have a standard RJ11 voice port for connecting existing phones over fibre broadband.

However, it is not good practice to connect alarm systems to a router, and even your existing setup with VM phone is likely to void your home insurance. Although your alarm system has a battery backup, your router does not (unless you have a UPS), and a burglar simply has to pull the main fuse at your meter box to disable your alarm monitoring. Even if you provide a UPS, your insurance company is unlikely to recognise it, as the wiring practice will not conform to the relevant NSAI approved wiring standards.

A better solution would be to ask your alarm provider to install a mobile dialler in the alarm, as this will be powered by the alarm battery. Eir may also allow you to keep a copper PSTN line just for the alarm, but this would only be an interim solution until they implement the copper switch-off (probably a few years away). I don't think eir charge anything extra if you keep the copper line in parallel with the fibre, but you would need to confirm this, especially since you are not currently using the eir line for your alarm. They probably need to do this to support customers like yourself who have monitored alarms.