BT Openreach provided all the cable and ducting to get from the pole along the verge and the 40m up the drive to the house. We had to dig the trench back fill etc., but there was no charge for connection or materials. You need to talk to the right bit of BT Openreach mind (not BT), and that is not easy, they allocate a "designer" who can arrange the materials and eventaully the connection. But nothing goes live until you buy a phone service from BT or other, then Openreach comes back and connects things.

Bit surprised about the talk of ducts for BT cable. Was told by a number of people, including the Openreach surveyor who double checked the position of their cable before my access was put in, that the cable was just buried. As said, BT Openreach supply the cable, builder buries it, then Openreach connect it up when you later apply for a proper telephone service.

For a cable like that for BT I would duct it, then as already said it can be upgraded in the future. Possibly fibre optics ect

I would drop in some CAT5 cables, external grade can be had for less that 40p / meter can be directly buried. If you can I would put in at least two cables, the CAT5/6 cables can be used for telephone, data or Audio/Visual.

The outer sheath on external grade cable is a bit tougher and is resistant to UV.

Put in a at least one spare duct! Then if virgin ever comes to your area you have options.

Posted By: TriassicThe cable I'm laying is wholly on my land, I have a BT pole at the bottom of my garden and need to lay a new cable to my cabin which is around 65m away from the pole.

Similar situation, long trench on my land but BT Openreach like to provide the cable and ducting. The leftover reel is still sat at the bottom of the pole, chucked in the ditch by their men when connecting.

Yes we have Cat5 cable in there too, just hooked a CCTV up using it so I can watch the site while we are away. Ended up with armoured Cat5 by accident, would have put it in the BT duct (in case of updates) but BT not happy so didn't although they never inspected.

My cable comes in overhead, hence the pole. I'll install a duct on my land and then terminate the BT line into a master socket in a waterproof enclosure on the pole, then everything after the socket will be my problem!

Posted By: MackersPossibly fibre optics ect

We've only just got BT broadband and a cell phone signal, thanks to 3 femtocell transmitters installed as part of a Government funded trial.

Looks like this is the specification for BT cable for use in ducts -- http://www.btcables.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Duct-Cable-Filled-Cellular-PE-_complies-with-BT-specification-CW1128.pdf

Posted By: Triassic
What specification of cable should I be looking for? Also where is the best place to buy such stuff?

I used to use Batt Cables, esp when I wanted something out of the ordinary.

Posted By: TriassicMy cable comes in overhead, hence the pole. I'll install a duct on my land and then terminate the BT line into a master socket in a waterproof enclosure on the pole, then everything after the socket will be my problem!

You may want to reconsider this approach. AFAIK you get the optimum broadband speed from your connection if the router is plugged into the master socket. That is a good reason to have the BT master socket located conveniently inside the house rather than out on a pole 60m away.

It seems infrastructure for new connections is provided free (you do the trench work of course), but movement of existing connections incurrs a charge. Does your site already have a phone connection or just a nearby cables that you can be connected into? My plot had once had a phone so there was a telephone pole nearby. We routed ducted cable, as provided, from house 50m to base of pole. Months later when time to get a working phone arrived it turned out they had to hang new cable overhead from that pole to the cabinet 1.5 miles away. Joys of rural location!! Thankfully all done fo free, unlike the electricity where we have to pay for the infrastructure additions.

Posted By: borpinVirgin on the other hand can pick and choose which really irritates me! In my previous house I had cable in my road, but as I was set back 200M they would not supply me.

In my previous house, they (forget the name of the company) installed cable in the road whilst we were there, and it was a condition of being allowed to dig up the road that they guarantee to provide service to everybody. Then 'they' were sold to Virgin, and somehow that voided the universal service guarantee. We kept getting pestered by Virgin salesmen who were always then thwarted by whichever other arm of the business it is that makes connections refusing to make one!

For our new house, Openreach gave me a reel of armoured cable and loads of duct as well. So we have armoured cable inside a duct, just in case they ever offer fibre connections.