Virgin Installation New Build - Few Questions on Positioning

[dchester]

Hi,
I'm moving shortly and want virgin to install their services in to my new house however I do not want wires running up the house. The CATV box in the ground is at the left of the house looking from the road and I want the virgin box on the right hand side of my house. Is is unreasonable for me to ask them to route the cable to the other side of my house, underneath the block paving? This is because next door they have had to have a horrible black cable on show run all the way around their house, it looks ugly and I want to hide it. The BT phone point is on the front of the house at the left. I think this will cause issues with installation for virgin, however can't they use it as they run off the same network? Also is it unacceptable to ask them to run the broadband cable to the top of the house(2nd floor) as this is where my office is and I don't want the router anywhere else in the house.
Thanks in Advance,
Dean

[Digital Fanatic]

Hi,
I'm moving shortly and want virgin to install their services in to my new house however I do not want wires running up the house. The CATV box in the ground is at the left of the house looking from the road and I want the virgin box on the right hand side of my house. Is is unreasonable for me to ask them to route the cable to the other side of my house, underneath the block paving? This is because next door they have had to have a horrible black cable on show run all the way around their house, it looks ugly and I want to hide it. The BT phone point is on the front of the house at the left. I think this will cause issues with installation for virgin, however can't they use it as they run off the same network? Also is it unacceptable to ask them to run the broadband cable to the top of the house(2nd floor) as this is where my office is and I don't want the router anywhere else in the house.
Thanks in Advance,
Dean

Hi Dean, :welcome:

The techs will do most things that you want, but you have to be firm as they will want to do it the quickest way possbile and usually that is on the outside of your home.

VM can't touch BT equipment or wiring - it would be illegal.

The install tech will go through options for you on the day of install, so really down to the guys and you agreeing on the day.

HTH :)

[Jonnymeg]

Ok, here's the deal.

Moving that box is not going to happen without a great deal of trouble for everyone and most likely a cost to yourself. The box on the house is where the cable terminates from the street and will only be so long. Moving that box will involve removing the old cabling under the block paving, replacing it with a longer one and relaying it under more block paving to the new position.

No tech is going to do that for you as it is simply way outside of the 'standard' installation. To get it done you will most likely have to pay an additional fee and be prepared to have you block paving messed up. Can you imagine the work and costs involved if virgin were to move drop cables for every customer? Also Virgin techs are not professional ground workers and i would not want my blocks lifting if i could avoid it.

My advice would be to look at alternative routing of cables but from the existing box. You can ask them to run the wires pretty much what ever way you want but you have to be reasonable. At the moment we are not allowed to work above 2 meters for H&S reasons so do try to work within those limits.

[jb66]

I dont think installers lift block paving

[Digital Fanatic]

I dont think installers lift block paving

Unlikely to lift it, yeah.

[Peter_]

I dont think installers lift block paving
Not a chance with Health and Safety and Liability issues.;)

[jb66]

I dont know how you feel about doing work yourself but I have seen properties where the owner has lifted the slabs himself and lay a thick plastic hollow pipe underneath so that when the installer comes he can feed the wire through to the wall.

[calmpitbull]

I dont know how you feel about doing work yourself but I have seen properties where the owner has lifted the slabs himself and lay a thick plastic hollow pipe underneath so that when the installer comes he can feed the wire through to the wall.

I think that would be the best idea if you are keen on having it done that way, then you can make sure the block paving is reinstated properly because the installers won't be able to guarantee it. If I have read this correctly you don't currently have a cable running from the street to the outside of the property so a new one will have to be provided whichever side of the house you have it to.

Broadband on the 2nd floor shouldn't be a problem unless there are some difficult circumstances. Just bear in mind that a cable will have to be run from the box outside, up the wall and into the room on the 2nd floor. All utilities companies will only 'surface mount' cables, if you want them chasing into the walls/fishing through the cavities etc... Then get them to leave you the cable for you to do this, then get them to re-schedule the appointment.

The VM telephone master socket can go directly next to the BT master, that way the prewired extensions can be put from the BT socket into the virgin socket which will allow all of the extensions in the house to work on VM. This is best for the future because you can always swap providers and transfer your extensions from one to the other.

[weesteev]

The biggest problem is that the Tee that feeds your property will be in the left hand side where that CATV pit is in the street. If the house was cabled before you lived there then there will likely be a brown Omni box on the outer wall already which will signify the location where the cable exits the ground.

An install tech wont lift any monoblock to lay conduit but if you prepare the ground yourself then the tech could run it in any trench you have open (but wont be able to close it again which could be an issue). External cable runs tend to be the only option (like your neighbours cable), unless of course you do any work yourself. I had the same issue myself and laid conduit before my monoblock drive was laid to prevent these issues, although if your drive is insitu already then it makes things a bit trickier.

Best of luck