Fibre internet in Gauteng on Openserve (Telkom) network

[jcheek]

How long does it take going from a Planned area to a fibre ready area.

See Post #777

 

[Rickster]

See Post #777

Thanks, but I see the planned area is huge. Almost 6 suburbs. So maybe more than a year.

 

[jcheek]

Thanks, but I see the planned area is huge. Almost 6 suburbs. So maybe more than a year.

I assume that's just Jo'burg - remember there's Pretoria too!
It may not be quite as bad as you fear. Openserve uses different sub-contractors in different cities - even within the same city - to do the trenching and aerial installation. They even use the likes of Huawei themselves for certain projects, typically those inside gated communities. So it's not case of Telkom doing everything by itself. Progress can be made on many different 'planned' sites at the same time.

Hang in there!

 

[jacosmit]

I spoke to a neighbor who works for Telkom and closely with OpenServe on the FTTH project. He told me that the work methods by OpenServe/Huawei is inefficient as crews/tools are arriving too late on site and having a very short work day*. The other big factor is that teams are moved around to much, so work continuity is slow, even non-existent.

* So, basically a Huawei workday is like this (according to my neighbor):
8am - Start work at Telkom towers/Huawei offices.
9am to 10:30am - Workers transported to site.
10am to 11:30am - Same bakkie who delivered workers have to return to depot to collect tools that they have to work with. OSHA now demands that workers and tools be transported individually.
11:30am to 12am - Work commences**
12am to 1pm - Lunchtime!!!
1pm to 2:30pm - Work.
2:30pm to 16:00 - Tools are returned to depot.
15:30 to 17:00 - Workers are returned to offices.

** Worker Teams are moved to various sites day by day, sometimes moving the same team to different areas per week. Work performance suffers because they have to discover what the previous team did.

 

[rawoke]

Happy 2017 to all.

Just checked OpenServe's site and we are still in the light purple/pink area :`(

It takes a while ! Even after it went purple some ISPs(I guess its more a telkom thing than an ISP thing) still couldn't pick up my area which was dark purple.

 

[jacosmit]

I went for a light rant on OpenServe's customer portal. Let's see if/when they respond.

 

[Inertia]

I spoke to a neighbor who works for Telkom and closely with OpenServe on the FTTH project. He told me that the work methods by OpenServe/Huawei is inefficient as crews/tools are arriving too late on site and having a very short work day*. The other big factor is that teams are moved around to much, so work continuity is slow, even non-existent.

* So, basically a Huawei workday is like this (according to my neighbor):
8am - Start work at Telkom towers/Huawei offices.
9am to 10:30am - Workers transported to site.
10am to 11:30am - Same bakkie who delivered workers have to return to depot to collect tools that they have to work with. OSHA now demands that workers and tools be transported individually.
11:30am to 12am - Work commences**
12am to 1pm - Lunchtime!!!
1pm to 2:30pm - Work.
2:30pm to 16:00 - Tools are returned to depot.
15:30 to 17:00 - Workers are returned to offices.

** Worker Teams are moved to various sites day by day, sometimes moving the same team to different areas per week. Work performance suffers because they have to discover what the previous team did.

This is something I've noticed in my own suburb. Work just stops mid-way, starts up a few months later for a few days, and then remains unfinished for a further few months. A complete breakdown of process & operation. Extremely amateurish and expected

 

[maumau]

This is something I've noticed in my own suburb. Work just stops mid-way, starts up a few months later for a few days, and then remains unfinished for a further few months. A complete breakdown of process & operation. Extremely amateurish and expected

This is something I've noticed in my own suburb. Work just stops mid-way, starts up a few months later for a few days, and then remains unfinished for a further few months. A complete breakdown of process & operation. Extremely amateurish and expected

Have to agree. Telkom/Huawei took 3/4 weeks to trench one side of our road, constantly digging into water pipes. They claim the water plans they were given were wrong.

Vuma trenched my side in 10 days, didn't once hit a water pipe and left the pavement looking cleaner and tidier than Telkom.

 

[maumau]

Talking about those black/yellow boxes on the poles, how do they connect fibre to the pole? We have a box on the pole in our garden and they certainly didn't bring a cable from the ground.

From post #805:
"In the second pic, you can see where the backbone fibre comes up out of the ground (inside the metal conduit attached to the side of the pole) and goes onto the aerial distribution system."

 

[jcheek]

From post #805:
"In the second pic, you can see where the backbone fibre comes up out of the ground (inside the metal conduit attached to the side of the pole) and goes onto the aerial distribution system."

Talking about those black/yellow boxes on the poles, how do they connect fibre to the pole? We have a box on the pole in our garden and they certainly didn't bring a cable from the ground.

Usually they place those break-out boxes on the existing telephone poles, at the point where several adjacent properties (eg 2,3 or 4) meet. The thin FTTH "drop cables" run from that box to each subscriber dwelling.
The main fibre backbone cable that feeds into the breakout box(es) is usually brought underground to the first box in the "chain". The feed to other breakout boxes in the chain is usually taken from the first one and piggybacked over the existing voice/DSL copper-line infrastructure.
If you don't see the thicker feed line coming either up from underground, or from an adjacent pole over the old copper lines, then it's likely that it hasn't been placed yet.

 

[Impulse_One]

Usually they place those break-out boxes on the existing telephone poles, at the point where several adjacent properties (eg 2,3 or 4) meet. The thin FTTH "drop cables" run from that box to each subscriber dwelling.
The main fibre backbone cable that feeds into the breakout box(es) is usually brought underground to the first box in the "chain". The feed to other breakout boxes in the chain is usually taken from the first one and piggybacked over the existing voice/DSL copper-line infrastructure.
If you don't see the thicker feed line coming either up from underground, or from an adjacent pole over the old copper lines, then it's likely that it hasn't been placed yet.

What about "barrels" I see on the poles? Usually on every/every second pole. Is it backbone roll or something?

 

[maumau]

Usually they place those break-out boxes on the existing telephone poles, at the point where several adjacent properties (eg 2,3 or 4) meet. The thin FTTH "drop cables" run from that box to each subscriber dwelling.
The main fibre backbone cable that feeds into the breakout box(es) is usually brought underground to the first box in the "chain". The feed to other breakout boxes in the chain is usually taken from the first one and piggybacked over the existing voice/DSL copper-line infrastructure.
If you don't see the thicker feed line coming either up from underground, or from an adjacent pole over the old copper lines, then it's likely that it hasn't been placed yet.

Thank you jcheek, in our case I don't think it's been placed yet.

 

[jcheek]

What about "barrels" I see on the poles? Usually on every/every second pole. Is it backbone roll or something?

Not 100% sure what those might be - picture ?
Closed "roll carriers" are used for slack management by some fibre installers, but I haven't seen them being used by Openserve - at least, not round Pretoria way.
In my area the slack management has been done using a pretty basic method, including some cable ties - see Post #6

 

[RynovdB]

Does anyone have any knowledge of the state of fiber installation in La Montagne/Die Wilgers area (PTA EAST)? I could kick myself, had a number for the guys doing the installing but lost it. Last we spoke they told me that they were planning on finishing the infrastructure by November 2016, they then ran into some differences between previous plans and what was actually in the ground etc. I think they said they were hoping to end by December, but still no fiber of any kind. If anyone has any information...PLEASE!!!

 

[jcheek]

Usually they place those break-out boxes on the existing telephone poles, at the point where several adjacent properties (eg 2,3 or 4) meet. The thin FTTH "drop cables" run from that box to each subscriber dwelling.
The main fibre backbone cable that feeds into the breakout box(es) is usually brought underground to the first box in the "chain". The feed to other breakout boxes in the chain is usually taken from the first one and piggybacked over the existing voice/DSL copper-line infrastructure.
If you don't see the thicker feed line coming either up from underground, or from an adjacent pole over the old copper lines, then it's likely that it hasn't been placed yet.

On a related note, here's a nice little sketch from MickeyD showing how a typical residential block is reticulated where there is existing aerial infrastructure:

Red / Blue = underground
Black = overhead on existing poles

Thanks to MickeyD for the post!

 

[Gimli_]

I heard a rumour that Irene (Centurion) is scheduled for Telkom (Openserve) fibre first half of the year(2017). Seeing is believing.

 

[FF1024]

What are the chances the openserve coverage website is wrong?
They replaced the burnt telephone poles along Wingate golf course yesterday and those technicians told me there is fibre. The fibre box and cable is on every pole.

Can I contact someone to check as every ISP follows this website blindly?

 

[mystic007]

What are the chances the openserve coverage website is wrong?
They replaced the burnt telephone poles along Wingate golf course yesterday and those technicians told me there is fibre. The fibre box and cable is on every pole.

Can I contact someone to check as every ISP follows this website blindly?

Telkom installed fibre infrastructure in my complex in September last year already, but the coverage website still indicates it as planned. I would also like to know if there is someone I can contact to get the map updated.

 

[jacosmit]

I heard a rumour that Irene (Centurion) is scheduled for Telkom (Openserve) fibre first half of the year(2017). Seeing is believing.

Good luck, but with all the closed/gated communities yours might actually be done before our suburb, which has been busy since June 2016.

As an interesting sidenote, we now have SAAB Grintek guys, sub-contracted by Huawei, contracted to OpenServe pulling fiber in Erasmia.

Telkom installed fibre infrastructure in my complex in September last year already, but the coverage website still indicates it as planned. I would also like to know if there is someone I can contact to get the map updated.

I visit the side bi-weekly but I have the same suspicion.

 

[Impulse_One]

Not 100% sure what those might be - picture ?
Closed "roll carriers" are used for slack management by some fibre installers, but I haven't seen them being used by Openserve - at least, not round Pretoria way.
In my area the slack management has been done using a pretty basic method, including some cable ties - see Post #6

Cant take photos when driving.

Description:A black plastic cylindrical object, with radius 30cm and depth 20cm. Installed on every 3rd pole for Telkom, along with a small black box with yellow stickers. Also occurs on every pole for provider that uses street light poles or placed brand new poles, in Highlands North and Oaklands.