New fiber install questions: external ONT, etc.

i dont see any reason it cant be done they way you describe, in fact it makes the installers job easier. there would be 2 different techs out, first tech installs the ONT and splices the fiber, second techs does the inside wiring since you would be doing most of that the tech would only need to plugin the gateway, register and confirm performance (installers dream job) 

This is great news, thanks for the reply!

One follow-up question: the techs can splice fiber in the field? Then we have a fall-back option that works for both tech and customer alike, just in case. Good good.

@ My thoughts can confirm this. I don’t think outdoor onts are used any more. Current method is fiber goes into the house to an ONT or direct to the gateway, depending on speed ordered. If fiber can be pulled to the comm closet then the ONT or gateway could go there. If you see any local ATT techs between jobs, you could ask them. Local practices about installs vary from place to place. 

viun - there is no problem at this time. The install is still a day off. This post is only my attempt to get the least disruptive pass-through without asking too much of the installers. Looks to me that I can expect either an outside ONT with Ethernet+2-conductor power through the perimeter wall.. or, the installer can send a unterminated fiber from outside through the (small) drill-out in my wall and splice a wall jack onto the bare end once it is inside the garage. Either will be OK by me.

The current model ONTs (010, 020, BGW 320) all require inside fiber installation.

The older 240 and 210 where the outside ONT that were installed by CIM aka InR techs with Uverse Premise Tech (PT) installing inside Ethernet run to gateway…. This has not been the case since all fiber installs for ONT is the PT only for residential service.

The closest could come would be fiber to inside opposite existing NID with ONT inside and power using the 010 or 020 ONT then ethernet to gateway location.

An installer dropped by a day early today, and this was great.

Short response is that I am really pleased.

Details (beware tl;dr) :

He was here to string the external fiber from the pole to my outside wall and signal-test the results. He gladly removed the old coax/POTS NI and even took down the (now redundant) coax it anchored - all the back to the pole.

He was also more than happy to answer my questions and to scope out my attic to make sure I could go trouble-free tomorrow, when the final install will happen. This was very good customer service.

The new fiber cable is much narrower and less conspicuous, and so I already have not one but two cosmetic benefits: the old NI is absolutely gone, and there is one fewer old clunky coax cables from the pole to my house (the other coax is owned by my old ISP, and I do not think I can have it removed.. but ok, no prob).

The tech said that I can have a small hole drilled right into the wall anywhere I want to bring the fiber directly into the house. He confirmed that the next tech fully expects to cleave the connector from the coiled fiber and replace it after it's inside the house. They are experienced with my kind of concrete-fiber clapboard siding, and won't shatter it while drilling.

This all paves the way for the slender fiber to come inside directly into the attic above the garage. No need to have a fiber snaking its way along the side of the house! The walls in the attic are unfinished (open to the studs), which gives me all sorts of flexibility. They will have no problems leaving ample spare fiber coiled in the attic to allow me to place the gateway anywhere I want later, and are OK with me doing that relocation myself once my major electrical upgrade is complete. Short term, I will have an Ethernet cable running from my comm closet up the attic stairs to the gateway. Medium term, I will choose a more permanent home for the gateway, route the extra fiber accordingly, and remove the need for that Ethernet up the stairs.

This is going very painlessly so far. Thanks for the advice! You've helped me have the right level of expectations.

Tech a day early to install outside wiring go side of residential area.... the tech was an ATT employee (blue badge) on a dash-o ticket (pre wire) who installs and verify good light level to slack NID (most common way to join outside wiring to inside wiring).

Your actual install will likely be a local contractor (red badge) as ATT has been having trouble hiring, training and keeping employees in the premise tech role...  they even offer $10,000 hiring bonus to individuals that can last a year.

I would estimate in our area, contractors have been used since beginning of April with contractors estimated do currently be completing about 20% of NEW installs, not aware they are doing upgrades from copper to fiber thus customers who have local cable service.

How did the installation go?

Happy with the results?

Well, my fiber works. I was given an ONT + BGW210 and tons of spare fiber to place the ONT wherever I like, later. But I do have concerns about the install (below).

I subscribed to 300Mbps and am getting more than that (up and down, yay symmetric), so that's good - but had two long pauses during a movie streaming from HBOmax last night. All I have done to the BGW210 was enable passthrough-IP and disable the WiFis.

Install:

• The second-day installer ran the fiber from the pole directly through the wall and into the house. No junction box.
• The termination at the ONT looks pretty flimsy, with no strength member protecting the fiber (photo below). No wall jack was spliced into the line. I think he just left the test connector on there, the one placed by the pre-installer the day before to verify the signal off of the pole.

ONT situation:

Now, I signed off on this as I am not a fiber tech and did not realize that not having a J-box outside means any, any changes at the pole may very well mean a total re-do of my install. If in the future some other lineman, or a crow, or the wind  breaks my fiber, it's a rip-out all the way to the inside of my attic and the ONT. And due to broadband expansion on our street, the pole is getting pretty regular updates from multiple vendors.

I will brace for this by leaving a few meters of the spare fiber in the attic coiled up right at the point of entry, so that some future repairman can add a J-box. And I will just soft-caulk the drill hole instead of truly finishing it up with a sleeve, weatherproofing, and paint.

As far as the ONT end of the wire, I think I should make a stiffener of my own -- maybe a length of 3-4mm diameter nylon rod (a garden stake) gently taped to the jacket of the fiber and to the green connector housing -- something durable yet removable -- will prevent the fiber from being bent and fractured, short-term.

Personally I would have preferred a slack fiber NID on the side of home with premade fiber run (available in 25’, 50’ or 75’).

This way any outside drop issue could just have drop replaced pole to NID with no need to access the home.