- Openreach is apparently readying a trial for a DIY fibre modem install
- This would mean customers upgrading their fibre who already have a modem could simply replace it, which would mean a cheaper setup
- However, this modem switch is not as straightforward as it might first sound, and there are potential pitfalls to be aware of here
Openreach is seemingly conducting trials to see if fibre broadband customers in the UK can install their own fibre modem rather than having an engineer do the job, which would save on setup costs with an installation that was a box swap (as opposed to a from-scratch fibre install).
ISPreview reports that Openreach (of course, part of BT) is "tentatively proposing" a proof-of-concept trial of a DIY install for the Optical Network Terminal (ONT), which sits at the end of the FTTP broadband connection in your house (or office).
This is the fibre modem on the wall which receives the fibre cable, converting that optical signal into an electrical one to pipe to your home router via an Ethernet port.
The idea is that the customer would receive the new ONT in the post, and as noted, this would just be for fibre service upgrades where a modem is already in place, where the homeowner would be replacing it with a newer model.
According to ISPreview, the trial is set to last three months and should begin before 2026 is out. However, it will involve only a small number of orders (about 200), apparently those upgrading from an older Nokia ONT with 1Gbps or slower speeds to a faster multi-gig line.
Analysis: unfortunate cable bends or floor placement
The main aim of the trial is to assess whether the customer can successfully handle this modem upgrade. While it sounds simple enough on the face of it, there are some potential complications here.
The task involves attaching the new ONT to the wall securely, but as ISPreview points out, some folks may be tempted to take a shortcut and simply leave the unit loose on the floor, maybe thinking it's fine if tucked away under a desk. But that leaves the connection potentially more vulnerable to getting dust or dirt in the port, or on the connector, when plugging it in – which is bad news for the connection speed.
One solution might be to fix a bracket to the wall for the initial ONT installation, so that in the future a new unit can simply be slotted in as a replacement, with no DIY skills required.
Another concern raised by commenters is fibre installations where the cable doesn't have much slack, so if there's a different port position on the new ONT, the cable might not reach. There's also the danger of customers trying to make it reach, or bending it harshly, resulting in damage to the fibre cable.
Doubtless these kinds of issues are what the trial will examine, assuming it goes ahead as reported.