Fibre in CT Southern Suburbs

The_Assimilator

The_Assimilator

Executive Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2005
Messages
5,923
Reaction score
130
Location
Galactic North
About 2 months ago I got a letter in my postbox from Nokia, informing me that they will be installing fibre in my neighbourhood on behalf of Openserve. Great, except I'm renting and intending to move within the next 2 months, so it doesn't make sense for me to get fibre. So I pretty much ignored it.

Yesterday I got another letter, this time from Openserve themselves, basically saying the same thing as the Nokia letter, but also saying that Openserve intends to replace all the current infrastructure with fibre and may require access to my property to do so. The letter explicitly stated that if I am on ADSL I will remain on ADSL, I won't have to pay anything extra, and everything will continue to work as currently.

I have some questions about this, particularly considering this thread. As far as I understand it, the fibre rollout in SA is about replacing the current copper street links to the exchange with fibre links, while the last mile from the street to customers will remain copper. In other words, it's an infrastructure upgrade that should be mostly transparent to users (except for service outages while they're switching the all-copper to fibre+copper).

If this is correct, does this mean that Telkom will be implementing some sort of "ADSL over fibre" emulation layer so that my current ADSL modem continues to work over the fibre+copper hybrid?

If this is wrong, how exactly will it all work? Will I need to get a modem/router that can "talk fibre" so to speak, and if so who will have to bear that cost?
 
I've seen some of those Openserve vehicles in my area too (Southern Suburbs); would be interesting to know how and when this is happening - we barely have VDSL where I am so to go straight to Fibre overriding any other infrastructure would be weird; considering the cost to actually install it if need be - would be interesting to know how this affects the end-users.
 
Thanks MDE - I'm still confused though, since if they are doing FTTH and not FTTC, I will definitely require a new modem/router - which completely contradicts the claims made in the letter...

Perhaps I should visit my nearest Telkom store with the letter in hand and ask them for clarity, although I fear that may be akin to asking goldfish to solve a Rubik's cube...
 
The_Assimilator said:
Thanks MDE - I'm still confused though, since if they are doing FTTH and not FTTC, I will definitely require a new modem/router - which completely contradicts the claims made in the letter...

Perhaps I should visit my nearest Telkom store with the letter in hand and ask them for clarity, although I fear that may be akin to asking goldfish to solve a Rubik's cube...
Click to expand...

If they are installing Telkom fiber to your house then you need a router with a WAN port. Basically this: Pole with Fibre -> Fiber strung from pole to house -> Fiber junction box -> ONT (Telkom Supplied) -> Your router WAN port (RJ45 cable i.e. LAN cable).
 
Nicholas Marzio said:
If they are installing Telkom fiber to your house then you need a router with a WAN port. Basically this: Pole with Fibre -> Fiber strung from pole to house -> Fiber junction box -> ONT (Telkom Supplied) -> Your router WAN port (RJ45 cable i.e. LAN cable).
Click to expand...

That's pretty much the conclusion I'd come to, especially after rereading the initial Nokia letter which states:

Nokia letter said:
At no stage during this exercise will the existing telephone lines be affected.
Click to expand...

Coupled with the references to needing to access the property in both letters, my understanding is that Telkom/Openserve/Nokia are going to install the necessary fibre hardware into the property and leave it at that; they won't be touching the existing telephone lines and ADSL infrastructure.

My only query is around the junction box and ONT - I'm presuming since I'm not going to be using fibre, and the letters state that the installers won't need access to the inside of the house, that the only thing they'll be installing is the junction box on the outside somewhere; the ONT will be installed inside and connected to the junction when the next tenant actually orders fibre. Correct or not?
 
The_Assimilator said:
That's pretty much the conclusion I'd come to, especially after rereading the initial Nokia letter which states:



Coupled with the references to needing to access the property in both letters, my understanding is that Telkom/Openserve/Nokia are going to install the necessary fibre hardware into the property and leave it at that; they won't be touching the existing telephone lines and ADSL infrastructure.

My only query is around the junction box and ONT - I'm presuming since I'm not going to be using fibre, and the letters state that the installers won't need access to the inside of the house, that the only thing they'll be installing is the junction box on the outside somewhere; the ONT will be installed inside and connected to the junction when the next tenant actually orders fibre. Correct or not?
Click to expand...
The junction box is usually placed outside the property on the boundary wall so would not require access to the property. They will only install the ONT inside if you order fibre for the property.
It is also likely that they will not remove the copper infrastructure so you can continue on ADSL (There is no need to remove it and it will just cost them more, that said if the copper ever gets stolen or damaged they might never repair or replace but rather tell you to move to fibre).
 
The Nokia contractors are installing aerial fibre onto the same poles that carry the copper lines. These poles are often along the back boundary of the properties and this is why they need access to your property. They won't do anything beyond the box on the pole until you actually order services.

This is a complete FTTH deployment and not just FTTC. The FTTC strategy seems to be falling away. Contrary to popular belief fibre to the end user is actually cheaper than VDSL with the right uptake. In many cases there is a saving long term as the copper network is expensive to maintain.

They will probably keep copper services for a while. There will be older people who will not want to give up their old phone line. Don't expect them to be keen to install new copper services in the future though.
 
Beware of trying to stay on copper once the openserve fibre is in, my experience has been the they all but abandon their copper infrastructure. People on copper have gone for weeks without phonelines and ADSL with seemingly no interest from Telkom in fixing it.
The theory is it pushes people to fibre and therefore contracts keeping out the fibrehoods
 
Thanks guys, I think I understand it all now. :)

avr-rulez said:
More precisely - where in the southern suburbs? I am in Muizenberg and so far no letters...
Click to expand...

Rondebosch.

ambo said:
The Nokia contractors are installing aerial fibre onto the same poles that carry the copper lines. These poles are often along the back boundary of the properties and this is why they need access to your property. They won't do anything beyond the box on the pole until you actually order services.
Click to expand...

In my neighbourhood's case there's a bit of a problem as the pole is situated on private property and the owners of said property don't appreciate Telkom techs tramping through their yard. Apparently the pole was supposed to be moved (I'm presuming to the street) long ago to overcome this issue, but Telkom being Telkom... maybe they will do the pole move as part of the fibre infrastructure install, but I'm doubtful because that would cause ADSL downtime, plus they'd have to redo the copper from the pole to all the houses.

Chingha said:
Beware of trying to stay on copper once the openserve fibre is in, my experience has been the they all but abandon their copper infrastructure. People on copper have gone for weeks without phonelines and ADSL with seemingly no interest from Telkom in fixing it.
The theory is it pushes people to fibre and therefore contracts keeping out the fibrehoods
Click to expand...

That's one of the main concerns that lead to me posting this thread, as my ADSL has been broken 3 times since December and getting it fixed due to the aforementioned telephone-pole-on-angry-neighbour's-property issue was problematic.
 
avr-rulez said:
More precisely - where in the southern suburbs? I am in Muizenberg and so far no letters...
Click to expand...

Im in Grassy Park - see them making moves around there - enquired with Telkom, but they're hush - probably cz the rollout has seen alot of criticism over last year.
 
The_Assimilator said:
Thanks guys, I think I understand it all now. :)



Rondebosch.



In my neighbourhood's case there's a bit of a problem as the pole is situated on private property and the owners of said property don't appreciate Telkom techs tramping through their yard. Apparently the pole was supposed to be moved (I'm presuming to the street) long ago to overcome this issue, but Telkom being Telkom... maybe they will do the pole move as part of the fibre infrastructure install, but I'm doubtful because that would cause ADSL downtime, plus they'd have to redo the copper from the pole to all the houses.



That's one of the main concerns that lead to me posting this thread, as my ADSL has been broken 3 times since December and getting it fixed due to the aforementioned telephone-pole-on-angry-neighbour's-property issue was problematic.
Click to expand...

I'm in Mowbray and we started doing our own thing almost 2 years ago. Its been a bit of a fight with the municipality to get it the way we wanted it but they have finally allowed us to start trenching in Rosebank and next month Mowbray. We opted for trenching over poles for many reasons... not the least that we exclude Telkom and become independent.

I think what is happening now is Telkom is trying to rush in and do their own fibre upgrades before independent fibre contractors. Telkom are at a slight advantage because they can make use of the poles and don't have to apply for trenching permission like the independent guys. When we started the process they said to us that Telkom would try and make a move as soon as the application was submitted to the municipality and that is exactly how it happened. We all got notices that Telkom wanted to "upgrade" our infrastructure but luckily we already had a consensus on what we wanted. Ironically a month or 2 later we heard that they halted the project because they had overextended themselves.

The telkom offer is a joke compared to what we are getting though.
 
Nerfherder said:
I'm in Mowbray and we started doing our own thing almost 2 years ago. Its been a bit of a fight with the municipality to get it the way we wanted it but they have finally allowed us to start trenching in Rosebank and next month Mowbray. We opted for trenching over poles for many reasons... not the least that we exclude Telkom and become independent.

I think what is happening now is Telkom is trying to rush in and do their own fibre upgrades before independent fibre contractors. Telkom are at a slight advantage because they can make use of the poles and don't have to apply for trenching permission like the independent guys. When we started the process they said to us that Telkom would try and make a move as soon as the application was submitted to the municipality and that is exactly how it happened. We all got notices that Telkom wanted to "upgrade" our infrastructure but luckily we already had a consensus on what we wanted. Ironically a month or 2 later we heard that they halted the project because they had overextended themselves.

The telkom offer is a joke compared to what we are getting though.
Click to expand...

Very interesting..

Problem with us in the South bordering to the Deep South is that the economics of the area is such that we seem to be last on the list...
 
dr_carr said:
Im in Grassy Park - see them making moves around there - enquired with Telkom, but they're hush - probably cz the rollout has seen alot of criticism over last year.
Click to expand...

Towards the end of last year I saw guys laying cable in Southfield (Victoria Road - mountain side) and in Plumstead (Cassino Road). Could have been DFA maybe since they have cable running down De Waal Road?
 
Nerfherder said:
I'm in Mowbray and we started doing our own thing almost 2 years ago. Its been a bit of a fight with the municipality to get it the way we wanted it but they have finally allowed us to start trenching in Rosebank and next month Mowbray. We opted for trenching over poles for many reasons... not the least that we exclude Telkom and become independent.
Click to expand...

Would you mind perhaps pointing me in the direction of any detail of this project? In Rosebank, but cannot find online any plans for fibre in the area save for Openserve's Rondebosch rollout (which excludes Rosebank -- not that I would go with Openserve's offerings if there's an alternative offering).
 
Kelerei said:
Would you mind perhaps pointing me in the direction of any detail of this project? In Rosebank, but cannot find online any plans for fibre in the area save for Openserve's Rondebosch rollout (which excludes Rosebank -- not that I would go with Openserve's offerings if there's an alternative offering).
Click to expand...

https://www.lightspeed.co.za/subscribe.php?id=rosebank

and

https://www.lightspeed.co.za/subscribe.php?id=mowbray

Click on pre-order tab. Should be contact details around
 
I want to try speed up the rate at which fiber is brought into our complex. I am a renter but I told an owner I would give it a shot to find out some extra info.

I think the main problem is that who ever the body corp inquired with about fiber installation quoted the complex some fee which they thought was way too high.

Are installation fees the norm for complexes? I understand from the likes of ISPs that the installation fee can be waived if you sign up for x amount of time but that might just be for free standing homes?

Thoughts?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X