Fibre broadband - what does it entail for new users?

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geekIT

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#293542 28-Jan-2022 16:23

Seems like we're finally getting Fibre in our little S.I. hicktown this month.

I've been on the net for 30-odd years and have had broadband since it first became available, but haven't had anything to do with fibre.

Perhaps someone could answer a couple of questions?

1) What does the install cost?

2) What extra settings or hardware are needed in the house?

3) Is a new modem required?

I assume the ISP (Spark for me) will charge more?

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#2857874 28-Jan-2022 16:37

1. Free - As long as your house is within a specific number of meters from the road, otherwise paid

2. your RSP should provide you with a new router

3. If your router is over 5 years old then yes

4. The basic fibre plan is the same price as copper (at a wholesale level)

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

wratterus

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#2857875 28-Jan-2022 16:37

Chorus/Enable will install an ONT in your house. Ideally this would be in your network cabinet if you have structured cabling, or in a fairly central position in the house if you don't.

Your ISP should provide you with a new router free of charge if your current router is not up to the task. Monthly cost should be the same or slightly less, unless you opt for one of the high speed plans (hardly necessary now for the average user given that the standard speed is now 300/100).

Linux

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#2857881 28-Jan-2022 16:42

@geekIT Which town is this?

Jase2985

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#2857891 28-Jan-2022 17:02

you dont have to change, but one day that goold old copper service you are on will stop working and they wont fix it because there if fibre. Depending on when that is it may cost you to connect to it, which could be in the thousands.

At the moment installs are free, and plans are similar in price to what you pay on ADSL/VDSL.

geekIT

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#2858043 29-Jan-2022 07:34

Much thanks nztim, wratterus, Jase2985. You've put what's left of my mind to rest.

Linux: I'll just say most of my neighbors are sheep.

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quickymart

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#2858049 29-Jan-2022 07:53

geekIT:

Much thanks nztim, wratterus, Jase2985. You've put what's left of my mind to rest.

Linux: I'll just say most of my neighbors are sheep.

So...Temuka?

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k1w1k1d

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#2858060 29-Jan-2022 08:44

My advice is to get it while the install is free.

Just need to make sure that the installers make a good, tidy, secure installation of the fibre cable from the gate to your house. They have been known to sometimes take a few shortcuts.

Jase2985

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#2858084 29-Jan-2022 09:12

and make sure they bury it more than 200mm below the ground if its being buried.

quickymart

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#2858108 29-Jan-2022 10:08

That's a good point, how does your existing copper line enter the property?

geekIT

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#2858554 30-Jan-2022 16:52

Again, thanks guys for the tips.

quickymart: The copper line comes via the cutting-edge o'head power poles then runs down the pole at the street front to a plastic plinth. From there it runs about 20 meters to the house via a black alkathene 12mm or 20mm water pipe. Not the same one that brings the water, of course.

Temuka? Nope, that's a major metropolis compared to Hicksville. Anyway, come to think of it, I dunno why we're getting fibre - most of the locals can't even read or write, let alone work a computer.

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quickymart

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#2858571 30-Jan-2022 17:36

Okay, so your service lead will be underground. Easiest way to explain the install: they'll bring a fibre line through the conduit (assuming it's usable), they'll install an ETP box on the outside of your house, and an ONT box on the inside on a wall. The latter is what you'll be connecting your router/modem up to.

Only reason I queried the location is I'm from the Coast originally and thought it may be somewhere there :)

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geekIT

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#2858963 31-Jan-2022 07:36

Thanks, that sounds like a workable arrangement. The copper line comes into the house through the lounge wall. My TV is right alongside the entry point and there's a already a network cable and gigabit switch\hub there, that connects to my office\computer room on the far side of the house.

One possible problem is the phone, which is still on copper because I prefer it to a cellular connection. So, although the copper line enters through the lounge wall, it dives back outside again and and runs, clipped to the weatherboards by some genius previous installer, some 40 meters around to the other side of the house, where it re-enters the office as the main phone terminal.

So, if the fiber installers are able to route the optical cable through the existing alkathene conduit, does that mean they'll scrap the existing copper line that's already in the tube? How would that affect the 40 meter copper line that runs around to the other side of the house? Will that also be replaced by fiber?

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cyril7

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#2858973 31-Jan-2022 08:21

Hi, typically your phone service will be moved from the copper from the street to either an ATA interface on the ONT or the ISP's router, so as the fibre and internal copper sounds as though they will be at the same location (behind TV) then its normal for the installers to "integrate" it, ie ensure your internal phone sockets are able to be connected to the ONT/Router ATA port.

Cyril

geekIT

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#2859023 31-Jan-2022 10:36

cyril7: Thanks for that. So, after the install my landline will run on fiber?

BTW: I assume the fiber street cable will be underground? Gonna need a lot of new trenching.

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cyril7

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#2859081 31-Jan-2022 10:57

Hi, yes its very likely your phone will be moved to a VOIP solution over fibre, infact more likely 100% thats what will happen.

Cyril

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