New build house: not wired for fibre to the home

fungie

I live in a new build as part of a large development in Dublin. I signed up with Vodafone for tv and broadband. KN came to set it up, they informed me that the house isn't set up for fibre (there is Eir and Virgin box at the door, I've been with Virgin since I moved in) and that they would have to drill a hole, lay cable from outside, all around the living room, over the door to the tv. This would be pretty unsightly.

I asked what is the function of the Eir box that's already there. KN said it's for copper broadband. Interestingly enough, we can't get copper broadband in our area, so the box is essentially redundant according to them.

My question is: are KN just being lazy as it's easier for them to just drill rather than using the existing internal wiring of the house or are new builds just not set up correctly for FTTH out the gate? I would of thought that the planning regulations would require developers to make houses "fibre ready".

The Cush

fungie wrote: »

My question is: are KN just being lazy as it's easier for them to just drill rather than using the existing internal wiring of the house or are new builds just not set up correctly for FTTH out the gate? I would of thought that the planning regulations would require developers to make houses "fibre ready".

Which network are you connecting via, open-eir or SIRO?

There is an installation video here https://fibrerollout.ie/rollout-map/
Also https://fibrerollout.ie/rollout-map/cheat-sheets/

No house is setup as such for FTTH as the installer will run fibre cable directly to an ONT inside the house, normally 1m from the entry point on the house to where there is a power-point nearby, some installers will be more flexible about location. The router can be located there or ethernet cable can be run to a more convenient location.

fungie

The Cush wrote: »

Which network are you connecting via, open-eir or SIRO?

There is an installation video here https://fibrerollout.ie/rollout-map/
Also https://fibrerollout.ie/rollout-map/cheat-sheets/

No house is setup as such for FTTH as the installer will run fibre cable directly to an ONT inside the house, normally 1m from the entry point on the house to where there is a power-point nearby, some installers will be more flexible about location. The router can be located there or ethernet cable can be run to a more convenient location.

Connecting via Open Eir. The thing I don't understand is that, why they can't run the cable to the existing Eir box outside (pic attached) and then use the internal wiring in the same way Virgin do.

listermint

fungie wrote: »

Connecting via Open Eir. The thing I don't understand is that, why they can't run the cable to the existing Eir box outside (pic attached) and then use the internal wiring in the same way Virgin do.

Id imagine the engineer was telling you what was what, They dont tell lies for the sake of it.

You have Virgin service right now, thats high speed. Whats the problem ?

fungie

listermint wrote: »

Id imagine the engineer was telling you what was what, They dont tell lies for the sake of it.

You have Virgin service right now, thats high speed. Whats the problem ?

I want the ability to swap providers to get the best deals, that's why!

The house is brand new, it has eir branded box right beside the virgin one. Virgin good hook it up no problem, why can't Open Eir?

CoBo55

fungie wrote: »

I want the ability to swap providers to get the best deals, that's why!

The house is brand new, it has eir branded box right beside the virgin one. Virgin good hook it up no problem, why can't Open Eir?

I'm on half price for 6 months with VM, they will haggle.

The Cush

fungie wrote: »

Connecting via Open Eir. The thing I don't understand is that, why they can't run the cable to the existing Eir box outside (pic attached) and then use the internal wiring in the same way Virgin do.

The Virgin join is a passive coax to coax connection.

With FTTH there is a transition from fibre to ethernet via the ONT. The ONT is an indoor unit requiring power from a nearby socket. The eir external box, the ETU, doesn't have a socket and wouldn't be watertight against water/moisture ingress.

alec76

listermint wrote: »

You have Virgin service right now, thats high speed. Whats the problem ?

It must be very sickening for people from rural Ireland and waiting for NBP just to read this thread.

fungie

CoBo55 wrote: »

I'm on half price for 6 months with VM, they will haggle.

I may have to do that but would rather have choice without drilling and having ugly wires go around new house.

ED E

Its very likely the developer started the estate/planning more than 2yrs ago when Rural FTTH/IFN wasnt ready. Contractors installed what they always installed but its now obsolete.

Your gripe is with the developer, they should have ducted for fiber but honestly Id be surprised if a single one was doing that at present.

fungie

ED E wrote: »

Its very likely the developer started the estate/planning more than 2yrs ago when Rural FTTH/IFN wasnt ready. Contractors installed what they always installed but its now obsolete.

Your gripe is with the developer, they should have ducted for fiber but honestly Id be surprised if a single one was doing that at present.

I live in Drumcondra, so I doubt it was part of the rural FTTH but yes, I've contacted the developer. I would of assumed that there was regulations about having the houses 'fibre ready', it's less than a year old.

ED E

fungie wrote: »

I live in Drumcondra, so I doubt it was part of the rural FTTH but yes, I've contacted the developer. I would of assumed that there was regulations about having the houses 'fibre ready', it's less than a year old.

The system you're on was only announced in February 19. Announced.

fungie

ED E wrote: »

The system you're on was only announced in February 19. Announced.

Doesn't take a genius to figure out all areas will eventually get it and therefore all new houses for past 5-10 years should be future proofed.

listermint

fungie wrote: »

I want the ability to swap providers to get the best deals, that's why!

The house is brand new, it has eir branded box right beside the virgin one. Virgin good hook it up no problem, why can't Open Eir?

Lol.


This is a hilarious read.

fungie

The developers sent some people over today, turns out the place is ducted for FTTH and KN basically just didn't want to fish the line through, but rather drill a hole in the wall.

CoBo55

fungie wrote: »

The developers sent some people over today, turns out the place is ducted for FTTH and KN basically just didn't want to fish the line through, but rather drill a hole in the wall.

If it's ducted the builder should have left a pull string.

fungie

CoBo55 wrote: »

If it's ducted the builder should have left a pull string.

There is, well it looks like a rope.

CoBo55

fungie wrote: »

There is, well it looks like a rope.

They'd no excuse then.

jt69er

Booked a home move with Eir, FTTH, in August for moving Nov 30th. KN engineer came to install on 26th Sept and decided there was a pole needed as existing ducting wasn't suitable, I apologised for his wasted journey but he said he would get paid for doing the survey anyway. I got notification from Eir on the 29th Sept that completion date would be 28th December. After numerous calls to Eir I was unable to get completion date changed. On the 25th November I decided to order an installation with another provider who gave me an installation date of 2nd December. On the 2nd December a different KN engineer arrived and proceeded to complete the installation using the existing ducting.

alec76

fungie wrote: »

but rather drill a hole in the wall.

I presume you didn’t want a modem installed next to the “existing duct/ Eir Box”, you wanted it in the living room, next to the TV , which is quite far from “Eir Box” right ?
And those developers never installed any Ethernet cabling around the house?

NewClareman

fungie wrote: »

The developers sent some people over today, turns out the place is ducted for FTTH and KN basically just didn't want to fish the line through, but rather drill a hole in the wall.

Fair play to you for standing your ground.

fungie

alec76 wrote: »

I presume you didn’t want a modem installed next to the “existing duct/ Eir Box”, you wanted it in the living room, next to the TV , which is quite far from “Eir Box” right ?
And those developers never installed any Ethernet cabling around the house?

About 3-4m away. I've no idea how the place was wired.

alec76

fungie wrote: »

About 3-4m away.

Probably too far for the fibre installation .
You should of asked to terminate fibre right outside Eir Box and run Ethernet cable yourself to any place you needed to move the modem.
ps. personally I would let them just to drill new hole , would be less messy than Ethernet cable.

alec76

NewClareman wrote: »

Fair play to you for standing your ground.

Sarcasm detected.

fungie

alec76 wrote: »

Probably too far for the fibre installation .
You should of asked to terminate fibre right outside Eir Box and run Ethernet cable yourself to any place you needed to move the modem.
ps. personally I would let them just to drill new hole , would be less messy than Ethernet cable.

The whole point would be to not have to run cable as it's unsightly.

alec76

fungie wrote: »

The whole point would be to not have to run cable as it's unsightly.

They offered you to clip cable OUTSIDE the house and drill the new hole right beside TV for fibre entrance so it won't be any cable running INSIDE the house and you think it is unsightly?
Good luck staying with VM.

fungie

alec76 wrote: »

They offered you to clip cable OUTSIDE the house and drill the new hole right beside TV for fibre entrance so it won't be any cable running INSIDE the house and you think it is unsightly?
Good luck staying with VM.

No, that's not the case. They would have to drill a hole outside, then run a cable around a whole room to the tv.

alec76

fungie wrote: »

They would have to drill a hole outside, then run a cable around a whole room to the tv.

They would never run fibre optic cable for such a long distance INSIDE the house.
It is always outside , around the house they clipping it and drilling the wall for cable entrance right at the spot you need the modem .

NewClareman

NewClareman wrote: »

Fair play to you for standing your ground.

alec76 wrote: »

Sarcasm detected.

I wasn't being sarcastic. Drilling through the fabric of a house, when ducting was provided, is outrageous.

ED E wrote: »

The system you're on was only announced in February 19. Announced.

fungie wrote: »

Doesn't take a genius to figure out all areas will eventually get it and therefore all new houses for past 5-10 years should be future proofed.

I'm not sure what version of FTTH, was announced on Feb 19. Industry discussions were already underway in 2011/2012. I would expect all new developments, over the past 5 years, to have suitable ducting in place.

alec76 wrote: »

I presume you didn’t want a modem installed next to the “existing duct/ Eir Box”, you wanted it in the living room, next to the TV , which is quite far from “Eir Box” right ?
And those developers never installed any Ethernet cabling around the house?

I agree that it would be optimal if there was an Ethernet cable from the ONT location to the tv. However, this is not a showstopper. This issue was identified when the initial rollout of FTTH was being planned. The industry consensus, at that time, was that homeplugs were an acceptable solution. For the vast majority of consumers they still are.

fungie

alec76 wrote: »

They would never run fibre optic cable for such a long distance INSIDE the house.
It is always outside , around the house they clipping it and drilling the wall for cable entrance right at the spot you need the modem .

I never said they would run optical fibre inside. There would be an ethernet cable going around the room and over the door.

alec76

NewClareman wrote: »

I wasn't being sarcastic. Drilling through the fabric of a house, when ducting was provided, is outrageous.

There is no ducting from ETU to TV though ?