Counter Block Terminals

[#1]

Great to see BT Openreach carrying out upgrade work in our street today, 16/11/2021.

When I asked what they were doing, they said they were installing Counter Block Terminals, prior to enabling full fibre to our house.

This is really good news, as I had despaired of ever getting a full fibre connection where we live.

So, forum, a question : what happens next?

[#2]

@jameshal 

In a word nothing.
That is unless you leave Plusnet and transfer yo an ISP who offers a FTTP service. Both BT and EE do. If you contact the customer options team they will allow you to transfer to one of these without imposing the cancellation charge.

[#3]

@jameshal 

Keep on eye on the following. When "WBC FTTP" appears in the left hand column then FTTP is available to order.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

You could also confirm FTTP is coming by using the following

https://www.openreach.com/

PlusNet don't currently offer FTTP but it is "coming" - they've missed their first approximate availability date but the latest is the end of January.

Brian

[#4]

thanks @Baldrick1  for info that goes to the heart of the problem - I hadn't appreciated that Plusnet does not offer FTTP - I'll monitor the roll-out of fibre to my street (thanks for the monitoring tools, @bmc , and post an update here when I've decided what to do

[#5]

So, here's an update.

What happened next was that a cable firm contracted by our local authority carried out a junction-box upgrade and new cable runs to the first 12 houses in our street. The firm worked under a permit system, which required them to finish this parcel of work by 8/12/2021. Head Cable Honcho said that they would be applying for another permit after Christmas to continue their run of work down the street, and my guess is that the next parcel of work will include our house.

This seems to mean that we will get a purple straw coming up to the boundary of the property or, possibly, up to the outside wall of the house, and it seems that our connected comms will then run through this purple straw. I'm still not sure whether this will enable full fibre to be switched on, or whether that is a separate process (perhaps when the whole street has been completed).

No sign of any improvement in connectivity yet, but I'm monitoring via the tools suggested and will post a further update when there are any developments to report.

[#6]

You'll know when it's available, the street will be full of salesmen who've had at least 10 minutes training. Just don't ask any technical questions....

[#7]

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@jameshal wrote:

Great to see BT Openreach carrying out upgrade work in our street today, 16/11/2021.

When I asked what they were doing, they said they were installing Counter Block Terminals, prior to enabling full fibre to our house.

---

@jameshal 

I think you mean Connectorised Block Terminals.  

[#8]

@jameshal 

Not heard of a "purple straw" before. Any pictures of one?

Brian

[#9]

@Champnet ...and I guess my first question will be: "Will you cover my current provider's early contract termination fee?"

[#10]

@RobPN I remember Openreach Operative calling them 'Counter Block Terminals', but I suppose it could be his shorthand for the term you just used.

So, forum, what are they called, what do they look like, and what do they do?

[#11]

Hi @bmc . Certainly happy to post a picture once digging re-starts (supposedly after Christmas), as all previous works are now covered over; meanwhile, I'd describe it as a narrow, thin piece of trunking which looks as if it might carry the fibre-optic (or other) cable within it. It's coloured purple to distinguish it from the other services running down the street (e.g. gas-pipes: yellow). 

[#12]

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@jameshal wrote:

@RobPN I remember Openreach Operative calling them 'Counter Block Terminals', but I suppose it could be his shorthand for the term you just used.

So, forum, what are they called, what do they look like, and what do they do?

---

Don't just take my word for it @jameshal , ask Mr. Google -  Link   

[#13]

@jameshal 

When you talked about "purple straw" I thought you were talking about the the actual connection to your house. I believe you're actually talking about flexible street duct through which, as you say, the fibre optic cable can be carried.

I call Connectorized Block Terminals "Distribution Points" but never the less this is an 8 port underground one.

You get similar hanging from telegraph poles. House fibre cables "plug" into this.

Brian

[#14]

Thanks for the link @RobPN and for the picture of a distribution point @bmc.

Cabling work has now started, with two runs of purple pipes down a new trench directly in front of the boundary of the property. Larger of the two is a single pipe, about the diameter of a hosepipe; smaller of the two is a run of six pipes, each about the size (but rigid) of the tube that supplies gas to a bunsen-burner in a lab. See photo.

None of the pipes seem to connect to the CBT/Distribution Point yet. I suppose that will happen if/when I sign up to a full-fibre service, via an even narrower pipe (perhaps the purple straw).

No sales contact(s) yet, but I'm expecting them soon!

Best,

James 

[#15]

@jameshal 

Thanks for the picture. However, it raises more questions than answers provided.

To me it looks like the duct used by alternative FTTP providers. The smaller ducts will be for individual houses with fibre blown through to them. This is not how OpenReach install.

I provided links in #3 to check if OR FTTP is coming. You can also try the following. Look in the bottom left of the results window for network providers.

https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/

Brian