Fibre installation with external insultation - What are the options?

StaticNoise

We're in a tricky position. A number of years ago we got external insulation put onto my parent's home, and whilst it has been great for warmth, it has not been great for our connectivity options. We cannot get alternative fibre installation to the home, so we're stuck with Virgin Media.

I have spoken with countless ISPs over the past 2-3 years trying to see how we can get OpenEir infrastructure, but it's a losing battle. They'll take your order, send out an installer (usually KN Circet), and they'll simply tell you that they cannot facilitate the installation. They state, understandably, that they are not insured nor permitted to (a) make holes in your insulation, or (b) they can't tack cabling to your house. I don't know how to get around this.

I tried a few options:

• I made a suitable hole in the house: directly below where the cabling would be brought across from our neighbour. This would therefore provide an access point for the cabling to enter the house, not requiring any drilling from them - clearing them of any responsibility. This would have worked, but they remarked that they cannot tack the cabling down the house, so whilst the hole is there, they cannot secure the cable to the house. No dice.

• Civils work: where they'd dig up the driveway and bring the cable to the front of the house. Here I would provide a hole through the house for access. This was the best option, and again would mean they would have access without damaging the insulation or breaching their insurance or guidelines. However, it requires civils work, via digging trenches, so it would require work permits on the road outside the house, a digger, two workers, and more. They stated that some providers have opted-out of this being done (due to costs), whilst some do. They went off and said they'll get it organised, and that OpenEir would call back to secure a date. I heard nothing. I contacted the appointments team and they then confirmed (after a few calls) that my proposed provider has opted out, so this wasn't a runner.

We were back to square one.

I spoke with a few ISPs. One stated that I might have more success with SIRO or NBI as they are more inclined to work with them and the householder, than against them, but despite reports on their websites stating that my locality is ready and live (a built-up locality in Dublin 24), it appears that we are not. I even reached out to SIRO (and their Head of Product in a recent AMA on Reddit) for advice, but I heard nothing back.

As Virgin Media keep increasing their prices, we're completely isolated and stuck without an alternative. We cannot get any alternative providers in, so our only option now is to try and bargain with them (which is no longer successful for price reductions, even with 'cancellations' and more), or to get mobile broadband in - which is not the best value or most reliable. My parents need their connectivity, so I'm keen to see what I can do.

Any ideas?

The Cush

I assume it'll be overhead cable from the neighbours?

Would it be possible for you to run a small duct from the attach point on the house to the access hole, bypassing the need for them to secure the cable to the insulation?

Gusser09

Downpipes for rain and lighting are regularly secured to external insulation so i would challenge them on that for start. Fibre cable will be a lot less heavy than a downpipe.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121706612#Comment_121706612

It won't matter what you say about downpipes etc., if that's their policy they won't interfere with the insulation

StaticNoise

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121706593#Comment_121706593

Thank you for replying.

Yes, the cabling would run from the neighbours to ours. It's approximately 2m across. There is already cabling running for Virgin.

Do you mean if I affixed a duct pipe (or flat plastic) myself to the side of the house (eg. from the second floor/soffit right down to the bottom of the house, and with a L shape towards the entry hole)? Would this be acceptable for them to run their cables through?

I ask because I wouldn't want to go off and buy piping, attach it to the house, only for them to refuse running cable through it or attaching to it. Not to mention getting a large ladder and trying to affix something to the house.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121706612#Comment_121706612

Unfortunately, there are no downpipes or the like on that side of the house, so there's nothing to attach to.

I agree completely with that you are saying, and I've politely challenged them on other options before and in terms of what might be an option. (I've had maybe three occasions of having installers over across the years).

vrusinov

Do you have a garage or a shed or anything that has power, is dry, but uninsulated?

In our case we had put a hook in the soffit, and had PON in uninsulated garage. So fiber goes pole -> hook in soffit -> down outside the wall tucked to existing cable -> through uninsulated garage door. I have router/switch in the garage and ethernet wired to other points of the house (You can probably do mesh wifi as well).

Can this be an option?

kippy

Stupid suggestion but is there any way they can present the fibre in the attic space or get into the roof space and drop into an upstairs space?

I've had a tricky enough install turned down by a couple of KN guys, the last attempt I ended up with a problem solved and I assisted him to get the run done.

Wasn't the same issue as above but just needed a bit of outside the box thinking and someone with the right attitude. I appreciate not always practical.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121706662#Comment_121706662

As long as the ducting is secure to the house and cable is protected, can't see they'd have an issue.

EWI fixings are available online, example https://ewistore.co.uk/product-category/external-wall-insulation/insulation-and-fixings/insulation-accessories/

https://www.swifix.co.uk/product-category/all-products/

fiacha

All sorts of trades / services won't touch external insulation because they don't want to be held liable for any failure of the insulation due to water ingress around any of their fixings. If your supplier are happy to use pre-installed ducting for their cable run, then contact an external insulation company about getting the ducting installed properly.

I'd bring the fibre into the attic via the soffit (I'm assuming this is where the cabling from next door is attached).

See what your options are for routing cables internally to where you want the modem.

If you only need wifi access, terminating the fibre in the attic and installing a separate access point in the upstairs landing ceiling would be sufficient for most 3-bed sized houses. You'd need a power socket in the attic for the modem etc, ideally located in a small network cabinet. Smoke detector in attic just in case !.

JMcL

I imagine it depends on the KN contractor. I don't have external insulation, but I do have near-meter thick rubble walls. The initial pair of lads that came out refused to even look at it without a hoist as there was a fence they didn't like the look of running past the pole. Another guy arrived out, on his own, with no hoist but a can-do attitude about a week later and was fazed neither by the fence, the fact the line had to go across 2 derelict gardens, nor the rubble wall. I gave him a "very satisfied" feedback without going into specifics as the helt-n-safety brigade would probably have strung him up.

As to your solving your problem, if the attic works, that's probably the easiest. Failing that, is bringing it in a window an option?

deafroadrunner

If you can get a kn tech to leave you enough fibre cable and he leaves one of the fixing they used to fix cable at house, it might be an option to get the external insulation crowd back out and they fix the cable to house and bring into house.

lightspeed

Anybody able to advise where fibre optic broadband is already installed does installing external insulation cause any connectivity issues?

I have a house I have rented to tenants in Balbriggan Dublin. It is a semi D built around 1997. I have read I can deduct up to 10k in costs against income tax but of course I don't want it creating Internet issues for the tenants.

naughto

The insulation will be on the outside of the house,I can't see it being an issue as it will not be incontact with the WiFi

KR1993

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058334247/fibre-installation-with-external-insultation-what-are-the-options

Probably a bit late to the party

I sell Broadband for an ISP and this is a common issue. If NBI is available, they do the drilling through the insulation without any issues however that would usually require two appointments, first will be a survey to inspect the property and insulation and the second would be the installation. I did have a customer who had that exact same issue and he did the drilling himself whilst the engineer was present. Try NBI but check if its available in your area first. It might be a case SIRO never got back because they may not be operational in your area. OpenEir has two services, FTTC and FTTH and they are done through KN networks. Its an absolute pain and I don't see why they cant just get homeowners to sign a waiver that would bypass any insurance and legal aspects but most ISP use third party installation companies so we have no say in their policies. Hope this helps