FTTH install

[Xandrios]

Hello friends,

Apologies for the English - my written Greek isn't great.

We have been using Cosmote DSL for over 10 years. First ADSL at 2Mbit, then 8Mbit, 24Mbit and currently on VDSL. Got 'forced' to upgrade to Fiberspeed 50 a few years ago...but are still only syncing at around 22Mbit. For most usecases that would be enough, but the main problem is the line instability. CRC and FEC errors go up regularly, especially when it rains (!!), causing high latency which makes working from home (VPN, Remote Desktop) almost impossible at times. VoIP calls (Teams, Zoom) I do them over 4G on the phone because its more stable. Cosmote has visited more than once to measure the DSL lines...but found nothing.

So recently the OTE guys have been digging the street and the Cosmote website says that FTTH is available. Finally! So, for the people that have done the upgrade from VDSL to FTTH already.. I have a few questions. Hope somebody would be kind enough to share their experiences

First, the contract. Can I stay on the 50Mbit contract but switch to actual fiber (and remove the VDSL)? 50Mbit would be enough but I'm expecting they want us to pay extra and upgrade to 100Mbit (Even though we already have been paying extra for a 'fiber speed connection' which in the end was only a bad VDSL line )

The fiber cables (or pipes anyway) seem to be available at the street but not our apartment building. I don't think other neighbors have yet signed up for FTTH. When we sign up for FTTH will Cosmote install the fiber in the building downstairs, or also make sure that it is installed at our apartment on the 4th floor? Will that cost extra? Are there any installation costs for this process at all?

Since I do need the connection for work its very important that there will not be any downtime. Do they normally install the fiber connection next to the old VDSL, and only disconnect VDSL when the fiber is working? DIs there something I can do to make sure that there wont be too much downtime?

Apologies for so many questions! I find the Cosmote website somewhat unclear on these topics so I would rather ask the experts on here. Your help is much appreciated!

[ATH789]

Hi,
if you apply for FTTH, you have to change to a 100Mbps contract. If you apply to get a Voucher from sfbb.gr, you will have a monthly Discount of 13EUR for 2 years on your Cosmote bill + a free ftth installation / setup. I am not sure if you still can apply for a Voucher or not.

VDSL and FTTH has the same monthly price. You dont pay at the moment extra for Fiberspeed, Cosmote just renamed the paket from DoublePlay to FiberSpeed. The Name FiberSpeed has nothing to do with VDSL or FTTH.

In any case, even if you are the only person who apply for FTTH, Cosmote will install FTTH in the whole building, so every apartment can use it (even if nobody wants it). No extra cost for you. Also not for the installation in the 4th floor.

Cosmote will keep your VDSL Line online until you are connected to FTTH. There is no Downtime at all. My VDSL line was still active for over 1 month.

Check my post:
Απάντηση: COSMOTE Fiber

Cosmote will ask a signature of the building manager that he is agree to install FTTH in your Building.
Even if he is not agree, there is a law that you can continue the installation without hes signature as a owner of your apartment.

[Kostinos]

First you have to check your home, if support it here. https://submit.sfbb.gr/EligibilityCheck.aspx
If yes, you can connect with taxisnet codes and take your coupon code..
Second OTE Coming to your building and check how to install the pipes indoor or outdoor before start need from building admin to sign the papers,at every floor must be install floor boxes that boxes wait if someone wants to connect with fiber network,in your house ote install a fiber jack...in 2-3 months you have end....
About payments,you have only to pay 50-48(from sffb)=2€ for install and for fiber 100 41.9-13.0(from sfbb)= 28.9 with e_bill (per month)...For any questions feel free to ask bro...

[Xandrios]

Thanks friends for the help. I do apologize for the delayed reply. Unfortunately this has been a big big challenge with Cosmote.

So... one and a half years ago Cosmote started putting the fiber cables. At first just at street level, and soon after the fiber (or most likely: The tube that they will put the fiber in) was attached to our building.

It has taken more than a year to get this fixed. The Comote website said all this time that FTTH was available. But..when signing up, they refused saying that it is not. While the actual fiber was already at the building!

Only recently they allowed the signup. And indeed, some work was needed with the building to get a Cosmote box installed at every floor. Then 3 (!!) more visits home to install the cable duct, the tube, the fiber and in the end add the GPON box and connect everything. Since last Friday we, finally, have service. Hallelujah! That only took 18 months to set up.

Went with the 100Mbit product. Using the voucher that is a very reasonable price, though I did notice that they charge a different (higher) price if you want to apply the voucher. Without the voucher you get more discounts. So the actual benefit of the voucher is smaller than it should be. Sneaky sneaky..

It turns out that they want us to re-use the old VDSL Speedport Plus. That one still terminates the VLANs, PPPoE and handles the VOIP phone service. Which is a pity because I hoped to get rid of this unstable chinese Speedport product. So .. a question.

I have an Asus RT-AX58U router. This box supports PPPoE and I'm assuming VLAN's as well. Would I be able to connect the GPON directly to the Asus WAN port as long as I copy the VLAN and PPPoE config? Would the PPPoE password be the same as my general Cosmote password?

Then for the VOIP...I was wondering what would happen if I connect the Speedport to my internal LAN. Would it accept a DHCP lease from my Asus router & the VoIP work that way? I'd love to just set up the VoIP using another SIP client but unfortunetaly I don't know the Cosmote VoIP/IMS credentials..

Thanks!