[Snap] Yes, I can get UFB ... so what do I need to know?

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › [Snap] Yes, I can get UFB ... so what do I need to know?

nzkiwiman

2585 posts

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#138903 21-Jan-2014 12:47

After checking the Chorus map a few times in 2013, my area was marked as being available June 2016 and then later in the year as Jan 2014. Checking the Snap website today, it seems I can now get UFB as the big tick appeared and the plan is selectable.

What happens next confuses me
I hear about cables and digging - does someone need to dig holes in our section to connect our house to the Telecom box that is just on our fence line

Do the Telecom phone jacks inside the house need to be replaced with new jacks or can they stay but will no longer work?

How do I connect our cordless phone and the corded phone upstairs to the 'system' so phone calls can still be made

I may have more questions once I get some answers
I feel rather silly for not knowing the answers and posting such a NOOB question

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198 posts

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#970587 21-Jan-2014 12:59

Chorus will contract someone to connect your house to the fibre in the street. They'll need to dig a trench from one to the other (this may involve actual digging or 'thrusting' under the garden depending on how they plan to do it).

They'll put a small box on the outside of your house and connect it to a small box on the inside of the house (the optical network terminator or ONT). This is usually done in the lounge behind the TV as Chorus thinks the future of broadband connectivity is television and it's not wrong.

Once that's done they'll connect your existing in house network (all those jack points you've got) to the new line and disconnect your copper line. You can ask Telecom to come and take that away once you've swapped over.

All your existing jack points will now be connected to the network via the fibre instead of the copper line you used to have.

Chorus has more information here: http://www.chorus.co.nz/ultrafast-broadband

Oblivian

7304 posts

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#970604 21-Jan-2014 13:09

Assuming the fibre passes your home

Log job
Contractor blows up existing copper pipe to entry point (or adds a new one if required)
Terminates ETP on side of house (often by garage wall)
Will consult you as to best location for ONT and router. Think the guide state nearest to TV and closest phone outlet
Cat-5 will be installed if required to get to one of these

Fibre into ONT
ONT into router

Assuming phones are in star/daisy-chain already router incoming VOIP outlet plugs into one of the outlets and makes rest of the house live (sever copper)

OF course this varies from LFC, but in a general sense...

/edit dagnabbit beaten by too many tabs open again

timmmay

20591 posts

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#970606 21-Jan-2014 13:11

You should know that when they say available it doesn't really mean that can get you fiber in any reasonable amount of time. I applied in September, the last update was something like "Chorus are still trying to work out how to get fiber to your property but they won't answer any questions about it".

InstallerUFB

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#970651 21-Jan-2014 13:49

nzkiwiman: After checking the Chorus map a few times in 2013, my area was marked as being available June 2016 and then later in the year as Jan 2014. Checking the Snap website today, it seems I can now get UFB as the big tick appeared and the plan is selectable.

What happens next confuses me

1. If you want Snap to be your RSP (Retail Service Provider), Some still refer to providers as ISPs, put in an order with them and they will send the order on to Chorus to start the provisioning process.

2. Chorus will check the viability of provisioning to you: Check you not in a MDU (Multi deweling Unit) or on a ROW - if so they will start the consent to build process. and send on for design and minor build to get you ready for connection.
[/i]
3. If you are at a SDU (Single Dwelling Unit) or on an all ready preprovisioned MDU or ROW - Chorus send you request on to the install company - who will contact you and 'scope' the requirements to connect you and make arrangements to carry out the install.

I hear about cables and digging - does someone need to dig holes in our section to connect our house to the Telecom box that is just on our fence line

If you already have a usable chorus conduit from the road frontage to the house it will be reused - If not the install company will arrange for a contractor to install a new one [i] Dont forget that Telecom are no longer the owners of the network cableing (even though their name may still be on some parts)

Do the Telecom phone jacks inside the house need to be replaced with new jacks or can they stay but will no longer work?

They stay and yes they will still work - the install tech will disconnect the incoming copper phone line and run new cabling that will feed the voice output of your RGW (Residentual GateWay) or Router back to your existing or 'legacy' wireing to connect to your jack points.

How do I connect our cordless phone and the corded phone upstairs to the 'system' so phone calls can still be made

See above

I may have more questions once I get some answers
I feel rather silly for not knowing the answers and posting such a NOOB question

Ask away as we can't share the knowledge if no one asks

nzkiwiman

2585 posts

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Subscriber

#971672 21-Jan-2014 14:26

Thanks for the answers so far, helps with the decisions that need to happen before I contact Snap and order the upgrade. I am currently with Snap for Phone and Broadband, and I know that I need to keep the current phone number and be able to use the current phones with the Fibre setup

House is a single house with no shared anythings to anyone, and the Telecom box that was accessed a few months back is right on the fence line, so it shouldn't be too hard to dig from that to an external wall to have the external and internal boxes connected.

Just have to decide the best place for that box to be (though, behind the TV would probably be best - it is on an external wall).

Oblivian

7304 posts

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#971675 21-Jan-2014 14:28

ONT/Router goes internally

Additional cabling may be charged at a nominal rate. So if you want to adjust things beforehand, now is the time to plan it

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#971708 21-Jan-2014 15:17

i put up a diary/pictures of the process at the following...

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=90&topicid=136649

Although, I have recently noticed that the fibre installers did not bury the fibre like they said they would...they just ran it along the side of my fence for a number of meters above ground.

That does not look overly safe from a busy spade.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

InstallerUFB

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#971715 21-Jan-2014 15:34

surfisup1000: i put up a diary/pictures of the process at the following...

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=90&topicid=136649

Although, I have recently noticed that the fibre installers did not bury the fibre like they said they would...they just ran it along the side of my fence for a number of meters above ground.

That does not look overly safe from a busy spade.

The Ultrafast Fibre connection you have is similar but not the same as a Chorus one

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#971725 21-Jan-2014 16:06

InstallerUFB:
The Ultrafast Fibre connection you have is similar but not the same as a Chorus one

Yeah, i was guessing that the basic design would be the same, but, maybe using equipment from differing vendors.

Interesting though, could you use a UFF ONT on a chorus fibre network?

nzkiwiman

2585 posts

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Subscriber

#971868 21-Jan-2014 20:31

After being on hold for an hour trying to get some answers to questions I have before signing up for Fibre, I turn to Geekzone in an effort to try and get answers from someone at Snap before I Snap at having to listen to the hold music any longer

Because I sadly live with my parents who are stuck in the 50's, I have been told under absolutely no circumstances will they let anyone dig up the concrete on one side of the house. Sadly it looks like the Telecom box is on that side with all the concrete and so I am wondering who decides where the external box goes on the house and how close it has to be to the current Telecom copper connection.

I assume by looking at things that the current copper runs in a direct line from the Telecom box out front to our house ... maybe the fibre can be blown through whatever the copper is currently housed in. However does the internal box have to go in the same place as the external box (but inside) or can things be routed around the outside of the house to a place that is suitable for the internal box to be connected.

Once the outside is taken care off, we move to the inside that must not be damaged in any way!
Can anyone explain how the current jackpoints are re-wired so they connect to the internal box/router so that I can eliminate parents first thoughts that holes will be put in walls etc etc ...

*sigh*

InstallerUFB

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#971900 21-Jan-2014 21:01

nzkiwiman: After being on hold for an hour trying to get some answers to questions I have before signing up for Fibre, I turn to Geekzone in an effort to try and get answers from someone at Snap before I Snap at having to listen to the hold music any longer

Because I sadly live with my parents who are stuck in the 50's, I have been told under absolutely no circumstances will they let anyone dig up the concrete on one side of the house. Sadly it looks like the Telecom box is on that side with all the concrete and so I am wondering who decides where the external box goes on the house and how close it has to be to the current Telecom copper connection.

I assume by looking at things that the current copper runs in a direct line from the Telecom box out front to our house ... maybe the fibre can be blown through whatever the copper is currently housed in. However does the internal box have to go in the same place as the external box (but inside) or can things be routed around the outside of the house to a place that is suitable for the internal box to be connected.

Once the outside is taken care off, we move to the inside that must not be damaged in any way!
Can anyone explain how the current jackpoints are re-wired so they connect to the internal box/router so that I can eliminate parents first thoughts that holes will be put in walls etc etc ...

*sigh*

First I know its hard but please stop calling your connection or anything related to it Telecom - as your network connection is with Snap on a Chorus circuit and is nothing to do with Telecom :-)

Take a photo of the current ETP (External test Point) on the side of the house and share it here. Then we can help with what may happen to install the replacement fibre version. As always a picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to visualising what your trying to describe.

As I suggested before if the conduit out to the roadside is suitable to be reused for the fibre connection it will be.

The ONT is generaly not installed on the opersite side of the wall from the ETP (unless that is the most suitable possition to install it)

A new cable is run from the ETP to the location of the ONT - this cable is of a hybrid construction (contains both copper and fibre)

The fibre takes the new 'signal' to the ONT - the ONT then plugs into your RGW (router - fitzbox etc) the voice/phone output from this device is then back feed on the copper circuit in the hybrid cable back out to the ETP - where it is connected to your exisiting telephone wireing.

The installation of the ONT and the installation of a suitable socket (to connect the RGW to the telephone wireing) will require holes to be made in the walls - these will be covered over by the ONT and the socket face plate.

Edit - minor wording correction

nzkiwiman

2585 posts

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Subscriber

#971917 21-Jan-2014 21:17

Pictures inbound, appreciate the assistance on answering the questions

Picture 1 - outside house

Picture 2 - on street looking into section. Have 'circled' the power meter on the side of the house, the connection is directly under it.

Picture 3 - concrete

Picture 4 - Telecom box and other wires

Hope that helps

InstallerUFB

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#971952 21-Jan-2014 21:51

Great Pics.

Judgeing from the pit that has bee installed outside you are in a fixed fibre supply area. When they installed it, it would have been installed over the existing underground ducting/conduit system. So nothing should have to be dug up out there. There will more than likely be a FAT (Fibre Access Terminal) inside that pit which the installers will run the new fibre service cable into to connect you to the network.

It looks like 20mm coms conduit has been installed. this would be suitable to install an aditional cable into. So providing there are no 90deg albows or it hasnt been damaged, then there will be no need to dig up the concrete to install/fix.

On the House the FTB ( the replacement/suplamental fibre ETP) can be installed directly (+200mm) above the existing ETP.

nzkiwiman

2585 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#972110 22-Jan-2014 11:00

Just had a nice 30 minute call with someone at Snap
Assisted me with more of my questions, letting me know that as long as I chat to the workers before anything is done and tell them where I want things installed I can pull out of the deal and keep ADSL if anything upsets my parents

The conversation also changed the potential install point of the ONT to somewhere near the kitchen. As the existing phones need to be used, the ONT needs to be placed somewhere near an existing jackpoint so the Fritzbox router can be plugged into it

The two questions coming out of that is 1) if the new FTB needs to placed above the current ETP, how does the cable run from the FTB to the ONT and 2) how easy is it to use the Fritz Phone App so our smartphones could be used as the house phone

So close, but yet so far away at the same time

InstallerUFB

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#972166 22-Jan-2014 12:11

nzkiwiman:<snip> The conversation also changed the potential install point of the ONT to somewhere near the kitchen. As the existing phones need to be used, the ONT needs to be placed somewhere near an existing jackpoint so the Fritzbox router can be plugged into it

The two questions coming out of that is 1) if the new FTB needs to placed above the current ETP, how does the cable run from the FTB to the ONT and 2) how easy is it to use the Fritz Phone App so our smartphones could be used as the house phone

So close, but yet so far away at the same time

s

Nooooo - The ONT doesnt need to be anywhere near the existing jackpoints - nether dose the Fritzbox - the Fritzbox doesnt plug into the exiting jackpoints (like it would to receive xDSL signal) but the voice output is back feed, through a new socket, on the hybrid cable back out to the exisiting wireing where it is connected in.

in Answer to 1) A scoper from the installation company will have to take a look at the construction of the house and wireing and make a recomendation to the installer/s as to how to run the hybrid - they look at things like how the existing wireing is run / can the new cable be run in the same path / is the underrfloor access (which i gather in your case there isnt) / is there ceiling/roof access / if there is no available path - can they run the cable in capping - can they run cable through conduiting etc.

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