topic Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling? in Broadband

FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 22:32:46 GMT

Hi,

I live in a flat and recently city fibre installed in our building fibre (white connection boxes above each flat door. I have the white box outside the front door now.

earlier on sky app, I now have the option to upgrade to full fibre.

I just have a question though. Where the cable wiill enter flat , there are no power sockets. However, opposite front door on other side of hallway I do have plug sockets. Will engineer be able to run the fibre cable from the box by front door across the ceiling and then down the opposite wall to install the ONT by the plug sockets?

I understand this would be the only way really to have it installed as I read that the install would need to be done as close to the cable entry point as possible.

thanks.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Chrisee — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 06:56:47 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 the fibre feed from the CSP unit to the ONT can be several metres long but is not as flexible as a copper wire so there are restrictions on how it is run but tupically it is run down to the floor besidecthe door. When the engineer comes you can discuss the route you want but the ONT needs to be less than a metre from a mains socket but you can use a mains extension cable as I do myself. Sky only supply a short ethernet cable to link between the ONT and the hub but any length ethernet can]ble can be used if you want to site the hub somewhere else.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:53:34 GMT

Yes this is what I mean though. The side where my front door is and where the feed will be coming in from has no electrical sockets. So just running down to floor won't help there. However, if they can run above across the ceiling and then back down the wall the other side then that would work. If not then feel it was pointless trying to upgrade as there is no other option as don't want extension leads trailing across the hallway to where the sockets are as they again would have to go across the floor so would be a hazard. So hoping the engineer can run along ceiling and secure it to ceiling and run then down the wall to where the sockets are.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

JimM1 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 08:06:31 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 If one off your neighbours has already got the FF installed could you not ask to take a peak at what the final installation is like, or do you think that you are going to be the first to go for the connection?

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:42:36 GMT

Think we are the first as it's only just recently been installed in our building about last month and no one else has had it fitted yet. I would assume they can run a cable across the ceiling and then back down wouldn't they as surely that's similar to running across a wall anyway just above you instead?

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

JimM1 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:50:02 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 They may do so, do you think that is practical, climibing up/down a ladder trying to pin a delicate fibre cable up, oops its not working may just have to start this all again, It's the installation engineers and off course what you think is possible, what you want they may just say sorry that's not going to happen.

If such a short timescale are sky saying yes you can upgrade now Fibre is good to go, we have all the ducks in a row lined up!

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Deb3000 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:49:53 GMT

Highly unlikely they’ll run it across the ceiling, for a number of reasons. Round the top of the walls is more likely. Can’t speak for CityFibre, but the standard Openreach install is up to 10m from the entry point. You can get 30m but at extra cost. ONT power lead is 1.5m I would expect CF to be similar.

Incidentally, it doesn’t need to be right next to the power point. Connecting it through an extension lead, (either mains or dc low voltage), is perfectly acceptable so long as you’re happy with it.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:25:31 GMT

Thank you for the responses so far.

not really sure what they will do then with this. Be interesting to see if they are able to sort for us. If they cannot sort then assume they will have to cancel and I then stay on old style broadband?

It's odd in our flat as we have a long hallway, But on the side of the hallway where the entry point will be, we have no electrical points at all.

wondering whether if they can't go across ceiling and down (which would be the shortest route) if they can go around the top of wall all away around and back down otherwise of hallway and down to electrical point.

I get what people are saying about using extension leads. I have no issue with that but issue is still that I have no electrical points on the side where the cable will enter into building. So cannot just plug into extension as they will be trailing across the width of the hallway otherwise.

surely this must have happened before in other properties.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

JimM1 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:32:36 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 No doubt about that, the Engineer from CF will take care off what is needed, then you and him have the discussion, he say's this and you respond yes that's ok happy with that, or you say NO not having that for sure, no compromise then job get's stopped.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:38:58 GMT

Is it city fibre engineer that would come out to sort the install in the property. They already came to install in the communal areas and fit the small white boxes outside of each flat. I wasn't sure if it would be a sky engineer that sorts the actual installation into flat.

thanks again for your help. Assume it's all really a wait and see what engineer says on day and what options there are etc. he may look at it and say it's an easy enough job and can sort of maybe it isn't but will just have to see what they say.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Deb3000 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:45:22 GMT

I wouldn't worry about it. The distance, as such, is not an issue. It's more time/cost that makes a standard install 10m etc. but they'll have some method they'll use. It's just I'd be surprised if it was across the ceiling. If nothing else, it would look terrible.

Even if it was on the right side of the hall, you'd still have to run a cable from the ONT, (the box on the wall - an Optical Network Terminal), to the router.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

JimM1 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:45:24 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 This CF is all new so there is virtualy no experience with Forum information as yet, and NO doubt sky will be trying to get some off there Engineers up to speed, even if you get two for the price off one, and someone is in training it's a complete guess.

CF will have done thousands of fibre install's, if you had asked about OR then different story, why not go to CF web site, they may have a video on what to expect on the Install day, Flat's and MDU are always awkward no matter what!

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Chrisee — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:46:44 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 the engineercould be either from City Fibre or Sky assuming the correct agreements are in place but this is early days.. In the long term the plan is Sky's own engineers will do all work in customer's homes for Openreach and presumably CF..

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:21:15 GMT

Oh right ok, so do you think they will likely be able to do something to get me up and running? I just don't want to end up with loads of power cables across the hallway floor as obviously not very safe. So hoping they will be able to run a cable somehow to where the hallway plug sockets are.

in regards to the router, I was going to move router as router is currently in living room next to the sky telephone socket and sky satellite cables. I know that they aren't likely to be able to install the new ONT in the living room in this area which is why I thought the hallway would be the area it would be likely installed so was going to then put the router in hallway next to the ONT.

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

JimM1 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:27:30 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 Are you also on Sky Q for the sat system?

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:48:25 GMT

Yeah have sky q in our flat already. Why's that?

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

JimM1 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:55:22 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 Sky Q if you are using the wireless wi-fi connection between the Q box and the sky hub, I would never do that personally and look to network the Q box, but everyone is different, you are now talking taking the hub out to the hall and hopefully that does not affect the q wireless wi-fi if you are indeed using, so you potentially are opening a can off worms, you may as well if you have sky mini attached also say now!

Advice as well do not even think about Sky Max as a hub if you are happy with the black SR203 version...

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 18:00:20 GMT

Yeah have sky q connected wirelessly but not concerned at all with connection on that as also have a sky mini for the bedroom and never had any issues with that on a 50mb internet connection. My hallway is right next to living room so wouldn't be moving far anyway. As I say, just the actual install of the ONT which I was more concerned about but hopefully as others have said they will have a way to sort it somehow where I need it.
imagine this must be an issue for lots of people as most have routers set up near to where telephone line comes in but with this new full fibre connection, it's not necessarily coming into same area as where the phone came in so sure lots of people will probably have moved routers. Can't see that everyone is running meters of Ethernet cable all over (although I get some will)

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

Daveyboy1234 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 18:01:37 GMT

Yeah I currently just have the normal black sky router. Is the max bad then? Wasn't intending to get that one but thought that was meant to be an upgrade?

Re: FTTP install in flat - can cable be run along ceiling?

JimM1 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 18:08:01 GMT

@Daveyboy1234 Getting a really bad rap just now, and is / was not Q Mesh designed but some sort of FW to patch it and you have to use a mobile to set it duh!, reported as poor in wireless wi-fi performance, never used it always been a SR203 Broadband Hub Upright Black since it came out 2019, good reliable dependable hub, and Newer is not always better especially if no wi-fi 6 equiment to use, so why introduce the non needed....