Full fibre installation

[DukeEric]

I recently had a very poor experience with an engineer sent to install full fibre at my home. He wasn't prepared to enter into any discussion about where the external wiring might be, where it would enter my house, or where the router might be located. It was either his way or no way so we didn't do it. He was only here 5 minutes and then left and I cancelled the order. 

On reflection I think I placed the order without really understanding what installation of full fibre would involve. I live in an old house with a limited number of electrical sockets and none are in a convenient location for a fibre entry into the house. I have just watched the talktalk video about fibre installation and it says a double electrical socket is needed. My only double sockets are in the kitchen and they are all in use and nowhere near where a fibre cable might enter. I also want to retain use of my landline and I am not sure if that will mean having another electrical socket.

Is there any way I can find advice about full fibre installation and discuss potential solutions for installing it in my home without actually committing to an order? I don't think it is going to be easy in my house so I want to know what my options are before I commit to it. 

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Thanks @KeithFrench 

Michelle

[KeithFrench]

This is from a technical standpoint. This is what the installer should do:-

1. Discuss with you on the day, where you want the ONT (fibre termination point) and the router and install it where you want it, not where is easiest for the installer. They will run the fibre from the street to a box that they will site on the outside of your house wall, where if possible, a short distance under any front lawn etc. Obviously, every property is different. From there they should run an armoured cable from this new box, around your outside walls to the place of entry that you want. Then place the ONT on the inside wall at the entry point.
2. Unless you have already specified you will get either the eero 6 router and a Grandstream DVA (Digital Voice Adapter) if you have Digital Voice or the Sagemcom Hub 2, which is a router with the DVA built in. The Sagemcom is a much neater solution & requires one less power point. The engineer will normally bring this with him on the day.
3. Then there is the location of the router, they will probably only put it close to the ONT, because that is the cable length that is supplied with the router. You do not want this in a cupboard, or close to any other electrical equipment etc. However, there is nothing to stop you from running some Cat6 Ethernet cable to a better location if required, at a later date.
4. Power points - you will need one for the ONT, one for the router (if an eero, you'll need another for the Grandstream ATA), plus if you have a cordless DECT phone system, one for its base station. This obviously will mean up to four power points are required. These can connect via an extension lead if required, so long as that extension lead is not run across the middle of the floor etc making it a safety hazard!

I know someone who had the first box installed at the front of the house and the ONT a long way around the walls to the rear of the property. It was longer than the length of armoured cable that they had on their van. No worries, one of them drove off to get it, whilst another guy started the work. The fibre provider in that case was CityFibre, who you get depends on who owns the full fibre cabling in the street. It will most likely be Openreach or CityFibre, but the installer could be a sub-contractor.