Eir rural FTTH thread III

The Cush · 16-10-2021 8:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118026945#Comment_118026945

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) have nothing to do with connecting your home to fibre broadband. They are temporary hi-speed WiFi broadband points located in public locations that the public can freely access from their car etc. They are a temporary hi-speed broadband solution for an area until the government's national broadband plan is rolled out to an area by NBI. Under the tender they will remain active at a location for an initial 3 years if I remember correctly, or longer probably, depending on when NBI fibre is available in an area. See Broadband Connection Points | NBI for more info.

The next question is which operator owns the fibre DP (drop point), the black box on the pole?

At a guess the DP is part of the open-eir fibre network (see their NGA fibre broadband network map) and not the NBI fibre network? A few years ago open-eir rolled out their own rural fibre network to approx. 330k rural premises (the subject of this thread), unfortunately they left lots of premises beyond the final DP out. These premises were considered uneconomic for them to continue rollout further. The rural rollout was completed about 2 years ago. open-eir eircode checker here - open eir broadband checker (arcgis.com).

This is where the government's national broadband plan comes in, where it's uneconomic for a commercial operator to rollout fibre the government will cover the rollout cost to these intervention areas, the contract for this was awarded to NBI back in late 2019. The rollout to these intervention areas will take a number of years - Where are we working | NBI.

What does the NBI eircode checker say for your location? If you're in an NBP intervention area this is the discussion thread here on boards - National Broadband Ireland : implementation and progress — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin'

Regarding ducts etc. a fibre connection to a premises will generally follow the same route as the existing copper line, overhead or ducted. This is from the NBI website - Connecting your premises | NBI

eir ducting guidelines here - Support | Ducting | eir.ie

cnocbui · 16-10-2021 12:30pm

If you haven't noticed a phone line strung through the air to the house, then it's coming through a duct. It seems very rare that ducts aren't blocked because the people who install via them originally, all never seem to think it might be a good idea to seal the ends after running the original cable.

BB providers all have a checker where you put in your eircode and they tell you what services you can get and what speeds. Fibre broadband isn't FTTH but if they can offer up to 1000 Mbps, then FTTH is available.

I have fibre and would say it is well worth getting ducts unblocked in order to get it, just seal the ends after they have finished. EVA foam wrapped tightly around the cable then compressed and pushed into the end of the duct is one very easy way.

Pussyhands · 16-10-2021 9:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118027207#Comment_118027207

Thanks for the info, still a bit lost on what the black box is though. It's not fibre? It's just regular broadband that's faster than copper? Is that right? How does a house physically get connected to the box?

As far as I know, the neighbour that is using the internet from the black box is contracted to Eir.

The Cush · 16-10-2021 11:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118030428#Comment_118030428

This is a FTTH fibre DP, the upper box with a loop of fibre optic cable behind it. A fibre optic drop cable is connected to your premises from this box, spliced into the main cable from the exchange in the box. Speeds are up to 1 or 2 Gbps depending on the provider. Generally the DP must be within 100-150m of your premises to be connected and your premises must be part of their rollout plan.

Regarding your neighbour, are they on copper or fibre direct to the home (FTTH)? What speed is your neighbour getting? Can you post a pic of your neighbour's black box?

The fibre cables and infrastructure are owned by wholesale providers, there are 3 of them - open-eir, SIRO and NBI. They do not sell direct to the public, only via retail providers such as eir, vodafone, Sky, etc. etc., examples -

NBI retailers Who can I buy from? | NBI,

SIRO retailers SIRO – Ireland’s Ultrafast 100% Fibre Broadband, Built on ESB Network

cnocbui · 16-10-2021 11:15pm

If the black box looks like this:

Then it's likely fibre, but there should be more than just one along the road. The connection is via a black cable that runs from the DP box to the house, terminating in small box with a short fibre patch cable from that box to another one which has an ethernet port and which is powered by a small wall adapter. In that box, is a transceiver that converts the incoming laser light to an electrical ethernet signal and outgoing ethernet electrical signals into laser light which travels through the fibre back to the exchange. An ethernet cable connects that second box to a router, which provides your service.

keano25 · 30-01-2022 7:32pm

My 150mb package is coming to an end.. thinking of upgrading to 1gb.. anyone have it and what speeds are you actually getting?

Thanks

BArra · 30-01-2022 11:20pm

maxes out at 930mb

keano25 · 31-01-2022 12:25am

Thanks Barra.. that's good, must be unbelievable for downloading files

cnocbui · 31-01-2022 1:20am

That entirely depends on where you are downloading them from. It's rare for me to find sites that max my 150 Mbps connection

BArra · 31-01-2022 11:14am

game hosts like battle.net can saturate it fully but as you mention it varies from who you are downloading

cnocbui · 31-01-2022 12:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118558408#Comment_118558408

Yes, Valve can likely saturrate it, too as can a few usenet providers - probably, but I personally wouldn't consider for one second, paying €168 extra a year to save a few minutes a year on a few big downloads. In 4 years, that's a flagship phone's worth of savings.

Most websites and such, don't operate at saturation speeds.

BArra · 31-01-2022 8:39pm

that depends on the first year cost, how many users in household, type of bandwidth requirements etc

also, you can get 1gb for first year for 40e, so not sure if thats 168e of saving versus slower speeds

cnocbui · 31-01-2022 9:34pm

I'm not trying to stop anyone paying for what they want. OP asked a question and I gave my perspective.

EarWig · 31-01-2022 10:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118561775#Comment_118561775

Except there is a big cost. The time and stress when trying to cancel at the end of the first year has to be factored in.

keano25 · 01-02-2022 12:37am

Current offer is €50 a month for 1GB.

cherryghost · 02-03-2022 3:52pm

Hi,

Hope someone can help as I was left awfully confused today. We are moving house and KN came out this morning to install our fibre line. They refused to do it. The fibre lines were on the other side of the road of the house, and overhanging cables over our property being the reason.

They now want to install a pole within farmers land next to our property (in blue), and then for me to run duct down to the house. I'm not really sure what that solves because the overhanging cables keep going up over that field and onwards! Am I being an idiot/unreasonable not accepting this solution. Pic attached. You can see the overhanging cables and the telephone poles across the road.

The Cush · 02-03-2022 4:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118720379#Comment_118720379

I assume they are electric lines passing in front of your house and your house is a bungalow/single story?

Looks like the fibre line to your house from the pole across the road could intersect with the power lines as it dips towards the house. The new pole in the field would allow it to cross the powerlines above or below at a safe distance without the possibility of touching.

Difficult to see a famer allowing a pole to be placed there and then ducting from there to house, could the new pole be placed at the corner of your lawn with a duct from there to the house?

cherryghost · 02-03-2022 4:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118720530#Comment_118720530

I suggested the pole at the corner of the lawn but they said no. Not really sure why.

There's already a pole in that farmers field so not sure if its much difference for a second one but I understand completely if he didnt want it.

It's left me a deal of stress as its required for work so needless to say I need to find some solution. The farmer is not around at the moment so will get back to me in a few days.

KCross · 02-03-2022 4:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118720379#Comment_118720379

Seems reasonable to me.

They need to get the cable across the road. They cant do that directly to your house with live electricity cables runing across your property so they need a pole on that boundary so that they can sling the cable across the road to that pole, then go down the pole to the new duct, that you will be responsible for, which then gets them a route to your house.

They cant sling the cable over the electricity wires.

The Cush · 02-03-2022 4:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118720667#Comment_118720667

The other pole is ESB I assume, for which they have wayleave rights, not the sane for telecom poles.

Which pole is the DP on?

Do they want to place the new pole at the boundary fence or in the middle of the field across from the DP?

cherryghost · 02-03-2022 5:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118720814#Comment_118720814

Its a few poles down. The pole will be in the middle of the field across from the DP. But our telephone wire is ducted. Can we not just clear that? Have no reason to use it.

TheRiverman · 02-03-2022 5:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118720379#Comment_118720379

I am a retired Eircom Technician and dealt with many situations like this during my working years.Looking at the photo I don't understand why they want to put the pole on the other side of the hedge in farmers land and not in the corner of your lawn. I suggest you follow up on that and find out the reason. What they want you to do by digging a trench and putting down ducting is the correct way to give you service, but they positioning of the pole needs to be sorted. I also suggest you put 50mm wavin pipes in the trench and not hydrodare. Cable pulls much more freely in wavin. Don't do any digging until you have the pole sorted out.

cherryghost · 02-03-2022 10:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118721026#Comment_118721026

Cheers, that was the conclusion I came to also. I need to have them out again to survey regardless. Thanks for everyones help

cnocbui · 02-03-2022 11:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118720974#Comment_118720974

Were I you, I would do all possible to clear the existing phone line duct as that is the best solution. Perhaps some company with expertise could do it if DIY fails.

cherryghost · 03-03-2022 3:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118723129#Comment_118723129

Thats the plan. I have the surveyor out Monday week (earliest they can do), and have someone out next week to clear out the phone line duct. So the surveyor should have plenty other options for an installation.

Again thanks for all the help

babi-hrse · 07-03-2022 9:08am

At a guess it's hard to tell exactly where the ESB is in the middle of the air. But I'd say they said no to the telegraph pole being dropped at the front of the garden because the ESB line is directly overhead the desired pole location.

Another reason may be because they need the fibre line to sling below the ESB cable as it crossed the road and putting it too close to the crossing ESB cable makes the line have to be mounted lower on the pole making it suspectible to getting caught on passing traffic whereas they are hoping for the dip in the middle to be directly below the ESB cable and not the middle of the road.

cherryghost · 14-03-2022 4:55pm

They've agreed to erect a pole at the front corner of the garden. But the house is too low so needs to be ducted to my house, far less of a deal had it been in the farmers field (plus I dont have the driveway tarmac'd) :)

brimur69 · 19-03-2022 12:16pm

Lads, has anyone here ever gotten a second phone line put in by Eir in order to get FTTH? I live in a village that will not be upgraded to FTTH anytime soon but my estate is next to a country road that has FTTH enabled. The nearest telephone pole to me, at the entrance of the estate( about 50ft from my house) does have fibre running to it, two poles away from that pole down that country road has the black DP box. I asked an Eir sales rep about it and they said they would install fibre to the house if I was to get a new line but they would not offer me the FTTH service. They then said I could not request a second phone line because that's not how it works. Not sure what they meant by that. I was hoping a new phone line, even if it meant paying for an additional phone line, would force the upgrade to FTTH

oscarBravo · 19-03-2022 2:02pm

Sounds like a load of twaddle to me. If your Eircode isn't in the existing FTTH footprint, you won't get FTTH until NBP gets to you.

cherryghost · 29-03-2022 4:22pm

2 months from now to get a pole erected! (3 from the start of the process). Surely that is not normal

Eir rural FTTH thread III

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