Spark, convert copper phone to fibre, have ETP box.

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MrJohn

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# 174970 12-Jun-2015 14:46

Hi. today we received a pamphlet from Spark called 'Ready To Go Full Fibre?', so I choose to do that.

The form to fill at spark.co.nz/fibreswitch would not take my address! I used exactly the same address as on our account etc. So I called Spark and someone started to fill the form then stopped and said they would put me on call back, ten minutes later I got the call back but the person was quite confused as to what was happening and wanted to book me for someone to come and count the jack points in the house! I politely disengaged from that conversation.

Now then, we have had fibre data for a couple of months and there is a 'Voice To ETP' box on the wall beside the fibre modem.

If I understand correctly all we need to do is an RJ45 ('LAN cable') between the ETP socket and a socket on the fibre modem, and of course software configuration changes at the exchange. Have I got that right?

I would be nice to know what is required before I call Spark again.

Thanks.

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# 1323458 12-Jun-2015 15:31

My parents had their UFB installed this week, and there was also much confusion about the phone. They have one of the below installed next to the ONT, but the tech was trying to get the phone cut over on the day, but after speaking with Spark, decided it was too hard and said someone would organise it later.

There were told however, that after it was cut over, only one jackpoint would remain live (the one closest to the ONT) and the rest would be disconnected. I believe they 'tapped into' the existing line as it ran past the fibre entry point anyway, but not sure if it's actually wired in. There is a wire going from the ONT to the little box (as shown), but not sure if the rest of the house wiring is connected at the back somewhere not visable, or if someone needs to come and connect to the #2 port?

They are quite keen to change to a fibre landline as they are on an old NEAX which doesn't support caller ID.

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Wheelbarrow01

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# 1323466 12-Jun-2015 15:36

Hi there,

My understanding from what you have stated is that you have all the hardware you require for Fibre Voice, so it appears (to the homeowner) that all Spark needs to do is 'flick a switch', and for you to plug in an ethernet cable between the ONT and the socket nearby to activate it.

However, you will still need a technician visit to physically disconnect the copper service lead which connects the house to the copper network on the street. Otherwise the internal wiring in the house will be live on both the copper circuit and the VoIP circuit coming from the ONT (ie there will be conflict between the two), resulting in getting dial tone from the ONT, but also disocnnect tone from the copper network. The copper must be physically severed from the house to stop this conflict.

I suspect that is what the call centre staff were meaning when referring to a site visit - not to count jackpoints, but to ensure the house's internal wiring is all switched over successfully from the old technology to the new.

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

ajobbins

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# 1323467 12-Jun-2015 15:40

Wheelbarrow01: However, you will still need a technician visit to physically disconnect the copper service lead which connects the house to the copper network on the street.

Do they disconnect the lead in at the property or at the exchange/cabinet?

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Wheelbarrow01

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# 1323471 12-Jun-2015 15:43

ajobbins:
Wheelbarrow01: However, you will still need a technician visit to physically disconnect the copper service lead which connects the house to the copper network on the street.

Do they disconnect the lead in at the property or at the exchange/cabinet?

They disconnnect it at the ETP on the outside of the house. This is what they did at my house. My copper service lead to the street is still in place, and if I attached a test handset to it now I would hear disconnect tone. I assume that eventually they will unjumper it and assign the tracings to another customer nearby, at which time the copper line will be completely dead.

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

MrJohn

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# 1323472 12-Jun-2015 15:45

Thanks for the responses! I do believe I have a better understanding now.

The brochure that came in the mail says "Depending on how your Fibre was set up, you might be able to make the switch easily yourself." Maybe I will give Spark a call again next week and see what the status is of our service regarding switching the phone to fibre.

Wheelbarrow01

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# 1323474 12-Jun-2015 15:49

MrJohn: Thanks for the responses!

The brochure that came in the mail says "Depending on how your Fibre was set up, you might be able to make the switch easily yourself."

Yes maybe - If you have no use for any of your internal wiring (ie you only use one cordless phone) you can just plug that phone directly into the back of the ONT. This will eliminate all the wiring in the house altogether.

If you have other devices (Sky decoder from which you order movies using the remote), secondary phone handsets, fax machine etc) then you'd need the tech visit and wiring setup option.

Most people only use one cordless phone these days it seems, so direct connection to the ONT will suit a lot of people.

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

ajobbins

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# 1323484 12-Jun-2015 15:52

In the picture I posted above, will that be already wired to the existing jackpoints and just need the disconnect from the exchange of the existing copper, or is there more work that needs to be done?

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Wheelbarrow01

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# 1323493 12-Jun-2015 15:57

ajobbins: In the picture I posted above, will that be already wired to the existing jackpoints and just need the disconnect from the exchange of the existing copper, or is there more work that needs to be done?

It is hard to say sorry. I see the ethernet cable from the ONT is plugged into the smaller box already, so it may be wired to existing jacks already, with just the physical copper disconnection required, followed by activation of VoIP service. That is what I would expect anyway.

One way to check may be to try plugging a phone into that smaller box now if you can - if you get dial tone, you know it is connected to the internal wiring of the house already. I don't know whether the socket on the box is the same as a wall jackpoint tho....

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

antoniosk

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# 1323495 12-Jun-2015 15:59

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ajobbins: My parents had their UFB installed this week, and there was also much confusion about the phone. They have one of the below installed next to the ONT, but the tech was trying to get the phone cut over on the day, but after speaking with Spark, decided it was too hard and said someone would organise it later.

There were told however, that after it was cut over, only one jackpoint would remain live (the one closest to the ONT) and the rest would be disconnected. I believe they 'tapped into' the existing line as it ran past the fibre entry point anyway, but not sure if it's actually wired in. There is a wire going from the ONT to the little box (as shown), but not sure if the rest of the house wiring is connected at the back somewhere not visable, or if someone needs to come and connect to the #2 port?

They are quite keen to change to a fibre landline as they are on an old NEAX which doesn't support caller ID.

Good grief what is that? looks like a throwback from the 60's.

________

Antonios K

ajobbins

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# 1323529 12-Jun-2015 16:24

antoniosk:

Good grief what is that? looks like a throwback from the 60's.

Not sure what you're referring to specifically, but if you mean the wallpaper, it probably is orignal 60s/70s. The ONT is inside a wardrobe in one of the bedrooms.

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MrJohn

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# 1323537 12-Jun-2015 16:31

In the picture I posted above, will that be already wired to the existing jackpoints and just need the disconnect from the exchange of the existing copper, or is there more work that needs to be done?

I pulled the cover off the little white box labelled "Voice to ETP" and I see just a single pair connected to the RJ45 socket, there is nothing else in the box and there is no second socket. The pair (blue/white) goes into the mounting bracket which the ONT is mounted on.

ajobbins

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# 1323538 12-Jun-2015 16:32

MrJohn:
In the picture I posted above, will that be already wired to the existing jackpoints and just need the disconnect from the exchange of the existing copper, or is there more work that needs to be done?

I pulled the cover off the little white box labelled "Voice to ETP" and I see just a single pair connected to the RJ45 socket, there is nothing else in the box and there is no second socket. The pair (blue/white) goes into the mounting bracket which the ONT is mounted on.

Pic?

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InstallerUFB

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# 1323554 12-Jun-2015 16:53

MrJohn:
In the picture I posted above, will that be already wired to the existing jackpoints and just need the disconnect from the exchange of the existing copper, or is there more work that needs to be done?

I pulled the cover off the little white box labelled "Voice to ETP" and I see just a single pair connected to the RJ45 socket, there is nothing else in the box and there is no second socket. The pair (blue/white) goes into the mounting bracket which the ONT is mounted on.

Ok senario 1. two rj45 sockets into those boxes (posibley labled EXCH & HSE) - one connected to the orange pr and one to the blue pr (these pairs are in the the cable that also contains the fibre ) at the other end of the cable near or in the old copper etp one of these prs are connected to the incommeing copper phone line and the other to the house wireing - a simple rj12 to rj12 patch cord is installed between the two jacks and so your phone wireing works as it normaly would

When it comes to cutting over to voip its just a mater of unpluging the patchcord from the jack connected to the outside world and then pluging that end into the ONT voice port or the Router voice port (depending on provider) and your exiting BT jacks work on the voip line.

in most (new - with the last 18mths) cases (as in yours) you have senario 2 - just one rj45 socket is installed on the blue pair (labled Voice to ETP) - at the other end of the cable it is connected to nothing but is siting ready to be connected (either in the fibre etp or the copper one) and the phone wireing in the house is connected like normal. Side note: some installers connect the pr up in the etp in a three way configuration - so a tech still has to come and disconnect the outside line

When it comes to cutting over to voip a tech has to come and disconnect the out side line and complete the the connections to connect the pr from the jack to the house wireing. then go and plug in the patch cord

In older cases there will be no rj45 and a tech has to install that first and then procceed to do the rest of the rewire as above

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# 1323562 12-Jun-2015 16:57

ajobbins:
Wheelbarrow01: However, you will still need a technician visit to physically disconnect the copper service lead which connects the house to the copper network on the street.

Do they disconnect the lead in at the property or at the exchange/cabinet?

In the ETP (External Test Point) - the copper is also capped off to minimise chances of shorts or corrosion - and then the line is later turned off in the exchange - the circuit is left intact connected through the cabinet

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# 1323566 12-Jun-2015 17:04

antoniosk: Good grief what is that? looks like a throwback from the 60's.

Its the standard Chorus RJ45 Mount for free installs - one mount fits all senarios for mounting on hollow or sold walls one or two rj45s - no faceplate addaptors required - if a matching face plate to existing is prefered sorry its up to the end customer to provide face plates & addaptors and in the case of clipsal/HPM possibly jacks as well

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