Fibre - Overhead vs Underground

[will_i_a_m]

Hi.

There are two companies installing fibre in my town. The one, which is Openserve, is installing their fibre on the overhead wooden poles where the (Telkom) copper lines used to be. The other provider is installing theirs underground.

Are there any disadvtantages to using the fibre on overhead poles? Does it not break or stretch(causing it to break)?
Asking beacuse I don't want to commit and have constant issues.

It isnt live yet so can't ask others about their experience as yet.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SpiderGear]

Technically there is no difference between trenched and aerial fiber. Trenched fiber looks neater as there are no cables running overhead.

 

[powermzii]

I am on Openserve and have had no issues with the lines on the poles - the conduit is quite strong. Openserve also has decent prices and a very stable network generally.

I know Frogfoot is also in this area and they trench underground - during the trenching process its quite disruptive but once it is done then you wouldn't know it was even there.

Don't base your choice on overhead / underground - rather what makes most sense for your pocket and use case (gaming / streaming etc)

 

[Stokstert]

There was a fibre problem in our area now Frogfoot again starts digging on my driveway and I don't even use their service. They say they can't patch the fibre where it was broken, they have to pull new fibre through.

 

[netstrider]

It doesn't make much of a difference.

 

[isie]

Hi.

There are two companies installing fibre in my town. The one, which is Openserve, is installing their fibre on the overhead wooden poles where the (Telkom) copper lines used to be. The other provider is installing theirs underground.

Are there any disadvtantages to using the fibre on overhead poles? Does it not break or stretch(causing it to break)?
Asking beacuse I don't want to commit and have constant issues.

It isnt live yet so can't ask others about their experience as yet.

Thanks in advance.

depends do you prefer being on top or bottom?

 

[Barbarian Conan]

Trenched looks better, but in my previous place I had aerial fibre and it was actually more stable than the trenched fibre I have now. Less chance of someone breaking it while digging.

 

[Grouter]

Trenched looks better, but in my previous place I had aerial fibre and it was actually more stable than the trenched fibre I have now. Less chance of someone breaking it while digging.

Yep. Especially when your fibre installer finds tree roots 'too much of a hassle to cut' and just lays your fibre 200mm under ground on top of them:

 

[PBCool]

Who is the trenched fibre provider?

 

[chrisc]

Vumatel’s installer ran the cable from the pole, through an oak tree, to the corner of the house. This lasted about 3 weeks, when it parted. I had to wait 2 weeks for the same installer to come and do it the same way. This one lasted 6 weeks.

I was told that I would have to pay R1750 for them to come and install it another way, unless I got an electrician to lay a conduit from the wall

I got my gardener to dig the trench, laid 12m of black irrigation pipe, an inspection box and conduit into the house where I wanted it, not the snotty installer who said it was his decision where the cable would go

That was 4 years ago and it is perfect

 

[Johnatan56]

Hi.

There are two companies installing fibre in my town. The one, which is Openserve, is installing their fibre on the overhead wooden poles where the (Telkom) copper lines used to be. The other provider is installing theirs underground.

Are there any disadvtantages to using the fibre on overhead poles? Does it not break or stretch(causing it to break)?
Asking beacuse I don't want to commit and have constant issues.

It isnt live yet so can't ask others about their experience as yet.

Thanks in advance.

Doesn't make a difference in regards to the stability, it's just that trenched will last longer than overhead due to wear and tear, but you're talking something like 25-30 years vs 40-50 years as a guesstimate, either way it's not really going to matter because by the time it becomes an issue they'd have replaced it for the overhead.

 

[SAguy]

I actually think overhead may have the upper hand ito being repairable. That said, become the tree police - climb on your back wall and look down the road. Look for trees hanging near the fibre and go knock on their doors and moan until they cut it