Fiber in Callan?

Phil MaCrackin

I noticed the past few mornings, what looks like fiber being installed along the Callan Bypass up near the Kilbride end?
I wonder is this the case?
Be great if we had real fiber (FTTH) in Callan, anybody know any details?

Tipsy McSwagger

God I hope so as I’m planning on buying a new house there next year and need good broadband as I work from home.

Phil MaCrackin

Well to be fair, the broadband in Callan is decent anyway, I work from home a lot too, and VPN is fine, but fiber would be the bees knees!!

I don't know what else the fellas could be at there, it doesn't look like water pipe anyway, and they had manholes lifted here and there along the telephone pole route....

We'll have to wait & see I spose

Cabaal

Yeah Broadband is pretty good in Callan already thankfully, on upto 100MB fibre already and getting consistently 90MB speeds myself (I have one of these on the line that constantly tests so its pretty accurate - https://www.samknows.com/)

It certainly looked like fibre roll out to me but my dad happened to ask one of the workmen as they had blocked their front gate of their house and the workman also said they were laying fibre.

From what I've seen they've done works out Mill Street out as far as Callan golfcourse, out towards Kilbride area via old Clonmel Road, Blackstaff/Friary walk area out towards Bretts so far

All in all, good news in long term for decent broadband services in the town...maybe we can hope for 1GB fibre perhaps?

Phil MaCrackin

hmmm thats interesting you say you have a 100mbit service.... I am with Vodafone for years now, and when I signed up I learned that there was two fibers from kilkenny, a 50 and a 70mbit. I was on the 50 one, and for years I've had a rock solid 45 down, 18up.

But now since you said you have 100, I did a line check just there, and it now says my line is capable of 90! I'll be making a phonecall first thing in the morning I think!!

But yes, I saw similar works on West St myself too ... theres hope for us all!

GB here we come!

Cabaal

So did a little more digging,

Based on the Open Eir fibre rollout map it appears that they are improving the fibre rural routes as all the upgrades we are seeing are specifically on these routes (new line out to golf club for example), check out https://fibrerollout.ie/rollout-map/

Rural Fibre Routes are

Fibre Technology will be laid along these routes between 2016-2018 and delivered to c300,000 homes/businesses marked on the map. For approximately 90-95% of these premises fibre will be delivered directly into the home enabling speeds of up to 1000Mb/s (1Gb/s), with 5-10% of premises served with superfast broadband of up to 100Mb/s. While we have endeavoured to make the map as accurate as possible, changes may be required as the detailed design and build stage progresses.

So great news for anyone near these routes around Callan, I'm skeptical about the 1GB but still good for the town.

Phil MaCrackin

Sweet!
Well I just been onto Vodafone chat service, and they claim I'm already on the 100mbit service. Yet the attainment rate of my router is set at 51mbit.

I guess I'll have to call the dreaded 1907 and see what they can do... I'm only shouting distance from the cabinet that my line terminates in, so fingers crossed!

- theres nothing wrong with what I have right now anyway, but we all want more right?

Phil MaCrackin

Well Well Well!

I called the dreaded 1907, and they put me on the 80Mbit service there and then!
Happy days!

Doing a speed test via cat5 cable, gets me 70mbit, the router attainment is set to 75. I'm happy at that!

Thanks for the heads up Cabaal!

Tipsy McSwagger

Was in Friary Walk a couple of months ago talking to someone who has a new build right at the back, and they said the best they can get is 3 broadband.

Phil MaCrackin

Well the main exchange is at the other end of the town, at the entrance to the fair green, but theres definately cabinets down that end of the town too.  There is good service down as far as the cross for certain, but not sure about Friary Walk, I don't know anyone living in there to ask!  I'd be shocked if that estate was not serviced like everywhere else....

Phil MaCrackin

Noticed today, the fiber installation contractors were working at the foothpath outside Molloys stoneworks (opposite Maeve Nolans old grocery shop), and for a new twist, they've began routing in up Chapel Lane now! They've started at the Aldi end, coming around the turn, crossed the road and going up in front of Walsh's house.  It'll be interesting to see if they connect the estates along the way; Clonkil, The Meadows, and all the other houses up along there...
I also notice the fiber service on the telephone poles on some of the approach roads, though its only gone out a mile or so.   Unknown if its active yet.....

Spocker

Phil MaCrackin wrote: »

... and for a new twist, they've began routing in up Chapel Lane now! They've started at the Aldi end, coming around the turn, crossed the road and going up in front of Walsh's house.  It'll be interesting to see if they connect the estates along the way; Clonkil, The Meadows, and all the other houses up along there...

I did see those guys a couple of weeks ago pulling cables to the cabinet in Clonkil, (from across the road) which was the only one in Callan not connected the last time round. Would that mean theres potentially FTTH in that estate, or just to the upgrade to 100Mb I wonder?

Phil MaCrackin

Wow, thats interesting... I can't say I know anyone in there to ask, I thought most of the town was at or close to 100Mbit at this stage...  The cabinet for there is right at the entrance on the right hand side I think, but the rest of the Chapel lane is supplied from the exchange behind Billy Mahers old garage.
With the last rollout, it was the east side of the town was done first, from Green street over.
I wonder is this rollout part of the Siro service?

Spocker

Yeah, I was keeping an eye on it at the time - there were 5 cabinets in Callan that were due to have the new fibre box installed, but only 4 of them were actually put in place, Clonkil was the only one not done. It was on the "coming soon" list for ages, and then disappeared

Phil MaCrackin

Well, the Eircom drawings that was shown to me at the time had that box you’re talking about, located inside the front wall of The Meadows - but it was never installed at all! Most of the Lane is fed straight from the exchange. It caused a lot of confusion for the lines men coming out to do repairs, looking around the area for a non existent cabinet!

Not sure if it’s a good thing or not to be wired back to the exchange directly, you’d imagine it’d be easier to bring one line from there and split it out at a local cab, rather than pulling a new fiber to each house from the exchange..... but who knows how all this new stuff works.....

Cabaal

Checking the Eir fibre map and they've updated the rural fibre rollout by a further 2-3miles or more in some areas around Callan.

For example, back when I posted on the 19th August the fibre went as far as Callan Golfclub on the map. Now it goes just beyond the end of the New line.

Other areas such as the Windgap road it goes out several miles as well.

Phil MaCrackin

Cabaal wrote: »

Checking the Eir fibre map and they've updated the rural fibre rollout by a further 2-3miles or more in some areas around Callan.

For example, back when I posted on the 19th August the fibre went as far as Callan Golfclub on the map. Now it goes just beyond the end of the New line.

Other areas such as the Windgap road it goes out several miles as well.

Yep! You’re spot on! I spotted a KN Networks van working on the pole at the derelict cottage opposite aldi, so out of interest I followed the fiber line out that road and it ends out in Slade, exactly where is says on the map.

So people further out that road will have to wait for the next phase, if there even is one!

Phil MaCrackin

Anybody know if fiber to the house is available anywhere in Callan yet?
I just missed an Eir door to door sales man, so I'm wondering if its finally being rolled out?!
They often begin selling it just as its about to be made available....
Anybody know any more?