Broadband Pre Order
Discussion
In March last year I ordered all fibre broadband from County Broadband. The installation was delayed from April to July, then September this year. Anyway they now want to install but apparently need to install a connection box to the exterior of my property. This was never mentioned before and could be a problem as I live in a grade 2 listed building in a conservation area.
County Broadband are saying that if I don’t allow the installation I’d be responsible for the cost of the contract. That seems like an unfair term to me especially as there was no mention of the box when the contract was agreed.
Any thoughts?
https://countybroadband.co.uk/terms/pre-order-term...
County Broadband are saying that if I don’t allow the installation I’d be responsible for the cost of the contract. That seems like an unfair term to me especially as there was no mention of the box when the contract was agreed.
Any thoughts?
https://countybroadband.co.uk/terms/pre-order-term...
When County Broadband marketed their service in our village, they were clear that an external connection would be required, just like BT's fibre connection.
My local district council don't have any published guidance about whether LBC would be required, but said I didn't need it for our Grade II listed cottage when Openreach fitted an external copper termination box and a new mains power feed was installed by the electricity network.
Mendip Council does publish a fairly simple checklist and if you can answer yes to all of them, then permission shouldn't be needed.
Now I just need CB to get their finger out and finish building the network here...
My local district council don't have any published guidance about whether LBC would be required, but said I didn't need it for our Grade II listed cottage when Openreach fitted an external copper termination box and a new mains power feed was installed by the electricity network.
Mendip Council does publish a fairly simple checklist and if you can answer yes to all of them, then permission shouldn't be needed.
Now I just need CB to get their finger out and finish building the network here...
rscott said:
When County Broadband marketed their service in our village, they were clear that an external connection would be required, just like BT's fibre connection.
My local district council don't have any published guidance about whether LBC would be required, but said I didn't need it for our Grade II listed cottage when Openreach fitted an external copper termination box and a new mains power feed was installed by the electricity network.
Mendip Council does publish a fairly simple checklist and if you can answer yes to all of them, then permission shouldn't be needed.
Now I just need CB to get their finger out and finish building the network here...
Thanks for that. I’ve been through the terms and the email correspondence. There’s no mention of external connection boxes.My local district council don't have any published guidance about whether LBC would be required, but said I didn't need it for our Grade II listed cottage when Openreach fitted an external copper termination box and a new mains power feed was installed by the electricity network.
Mendip Council does publish a fairly simple checklist and if you can answer yes to all of them, then permission shouldn't be needed.
Now I just need CB to get their finger out and finish building the network here...
I’m minded to tell them that their pre-order terms are unreasonable.
rscott said:
Any full fibre connection is likely to need an external termination of some kind, so I think it might be a challenge for you to prove it's unreasonable of them.
Yes, I’m aware of that now but at the moment there’s no external box just wires into the house. I don’t have full fibre at the moment, I’m with Sky.My point is that I should have been aware of the need for an external box at the outset.
Edited by bad company on Sunday 7th November 14:20
bad company said:
Yes, I’m aware of that now but at the moment there’s no external box just wires into the house. I don’t have full fibre at the moment, I’m with Sky.
My point is that I should have been aware of the need for an external box at the outset.
Can't comment on County Broadbands requirements, but there in no need for an external 'box' with an OpenReach install.My point is that I should have been aware of the need for an external box at the outset.
A fibre runs to the property and is fusion spliced to a pre terminated fibre that runs 'inside' the property at the CSP (customer splice point).
Our own CSP is in the loft - so fibre from pole in to loft, then CSP internally, then about 1m of fibre to the ONT.
Happy Jim said:
What will you do in 2025 when BT retire the copper? You’re going to have to get fibre at some stage so might as well get the permission now (if required), and enjoy the faster speeds earlier!
Jim
They're not ripping the copper out in 2025. It'll still be used to deliver broadband to many properties.Jim
It's just that any phone service will be provided by VOIP by then and some areas will be true fibre only.
I have also ordered from County Broadband and i suspect we are in the same or neighbouring village. I placed my order in February 2020 and we are still waiting for the fibre to be installed, let alone getting connected. I was thinking of cancelling my pre-order but their terms and conditions are pretty restrictive.
Such a shame that there are no other fibre providers in my area
Such a shame that there are no other fibre providers in my area
Peach Melba said:
I have also ordered from County Broadband and i suspect we are in the same or neighbouring village. I placed my order in February 2020 and we are still waiting for the fibre to be installed, let alone getting connected. I was thinking of cancelling my pre-order but their terms and conditions are pretty restrictive.
Such a shame that there are no other fibre providers in my area
They briefly installed their equipment on a shared pole on our lane, but then it got removed.. They're now asking for wayleaves to access it. Such a shame that there are no other fibre providers in my area
Daft thing is, they dug up 200m of verge to lay a duct to my house at the same time, so almost everything's in place.
Not sure this is a lot of help as I'm in the opposite of your location (Milton Keynes), but last year City Fibre installed a really fast fibre setup on our estate after a period of disruption while they dug up all the pavements. Our install was carried out the week we went into lockdown and, apart from a few tarmac lines on the ground, the only evidence is a tiny (like, envelope-sized) box on the side of the house at near enough ground level. They even lifted part of my block paved driveway to route the cable, replacing them with no evidence of tampering.
craig511 said:
Overthinking it.
It’s a small box, no one will care.
Worse case you build a post with a something to attach the connection box to and that way it’s not attached to the house.
This. I have had cable Internet on all my houses, the box simply provides a waterproof location to connect the cable from the street to the cable from the house.It’s a small box, no one will care.
Worse case you build a post with a something to attach the connection box to and that way it’s not attached to the house.
Honestly, you use a hollowed out plastic rock, if you needed to.
I've got FTTP, underground duct then an Openreach plastic box on the outside of the house. Place is in the curtilage of a listed building, but we didn't bother involving the local authority. As others have suggested, just disguise the box with something - perhaps put a large pot plant in front of it??
With an underground service most providers will bring the duct up externally and this will require a splice point box on the wall. The fibre they run underground is not suitable for a tight bend radius to go straight through a hole in the wall.
My advice would be do it as sympathetically as you can - box on the side or rear if possible, if not keep it low down, and put any holes through mortar joints where possible. The local authority won’t be interested.
I’ve arranged many telecoms installs in listed buildings, including those owned by councils and never had any planning comebacks. I will always make sure either I or someone else attends the install visit and agree what’s going where before the install starts, otherwise they’ll do whatever is easiest for them regardless of how it looks. The most outrageous install was a 1M microwave antenna in white and associated galvanized metalwork on a grade 2 listed town hall. The Conservation Officer said he could never approve it if we applied but agreed he wouldn’t take enforcement action against his own employer. I imagine it annoyed him every day though because it was most visible from the car park and path to the staff entrance.
I was sat having a coffee outside a grade 2* LB last week and noticed a terrible OH dropwire installed vertical but wonky down the front facade of the building with clips whacked directly in the stone, then clipped across a decorative stone door surround clips banged straight into the stone at eye level 1cm above the mortar line. 2 minutes thinking time and a bit more care and it could have been been largely unnoticeable. My OH works in the planning department and whilst she agreed it was awful she said they’d never do anything about it
My advice would be do it as sympathetically as you can - box on the side or rear if possible, if not keep it low down, and put any holes through mortar joints where possible. The local authority won’t be interested.
I’ve arranged many telecoms installs in listed buildings, including those owned by councils and never had any planning comebacks. I will always make sure either I or someone else attends the install visit and agree what’s going where before the install starts, otherwise they’ll do whatever is easiest for them regardless of how it looks. The most outrageous install was a 1M microwave antenna in white and associated galvanized metalwork on a grade 2 listed town hall. The Conservation Officer said he could never approve it if we applied but agreed he wouldn’t take enforcement action against his own employer. I imagine it annoyed him every day though because it was most visible from the car park and path to the staff entrance.
I was sat having a coffee outside a grade 2* LB last week and noticed a terrible OH dropwire installed vertical but wonky down the front facade of the building with clips whacked directly in the stone, then clipped across a decorative stone door surround clips banged straight into the stone at eye level 1cm above the mortar line. 2 minutes thinking time and a bit more care and it could have been been largely unnoticeable. My OH works in the planning department and whilst she agreed it was awful she said they’d never do anything about it
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