New fibre 3G install in 2 weeks: What can I expect?

[rotfl]

I ordered Fibre Internet 3G + Wi-Fi with 5 static IP addresses. The order confirmation said I have to be onsite for the install. No problem. It also said I would need a router. No other information was provided.

I called Telus tech support, was transferred to Customer Service, and spoke to a woman who told me she also provides internet support. After almost an hour speaking with her, all I got was this link:

https://www.telus.com/en/support/interstitial/internet-equipment-self-install-guide 

She said she thought I would be getting the Network Access Hub.

I asked if I could speak to someone with more technical experience. She said there was no one. Could I speak with her manager? No!

I tried to explain that if necessary components were not available, the installation would not be successful. She said she understood but there was nothing else she could do. 

This is what I want. So far, I have been unable to convey this information to the installers.

• I will have a new firewall with 10G FSP+ ports.
• I want the Fibre 3G service connected directly to my firewall via the SFP+ ports.
• I want the access point to be connected directly to a port on the firewall.
• I want the internet device (whatever it is) to operate in bridged mode so the firewall has access to the static IPs.

Whatever devices Telus provides will reside in the equipment rack.

• How many devices will there be?
• Are they rack mountable or will I have to provide trays to accommodate them?

Who will provide the 10G FSP+ transceiver?

• If I have to provide one, how do I ensure it is compatible with the Telus equipment?
• If Telus provides one, how does Telus ensure it is compatible with the my firewall?

Are there any limitations regarding how/where the access point can be mounted?

I asked the Customer Service person if I could get the Manufacturer and Model Numbers of the devices Telus will be using for the installation so I could be better prepared but was told that information was not available.

I don't feel I am being unreasonable when asking for this information especially when the success of the installation depends on it. Furthermore, I find it inconceivable that this information is unavailable!

I'm new to this Telus forum and I still have to learn my way around. If Telus staff monitors these posts, surely someone can post the information I am requesting? You can bet that I'm not the only customer who is looking for these answers....

[rotfl]

@TELUS_Support  I have a follow-up question:

A couple of months from now we will be transferring our Fax POTS line to this new facility. I believe that will be made available via the Fibre cable that will already have been installed. I assume there will be another device of some kind that will interface with the Fibre cable and provide a dial tone? That is yet another device I will have to accommodate in my rack. How will that work and what additional device(s) will I have to accommodate? 

I would very much like to avoid any surprises when the installers are providing new services.

[TELUS_Support]

Hi there. To provide you with the most accurate and useful information regarding your installation and network setup, we ask that you send us a private message with your account details. This way, we can directly connect you with our technical team and ensure your specific requirements are addressed.

Regarding your questions:

• The number and type of devices used during installation, including whether they are rack-mountable, as well as the details about the 10G FSP+ transceiver, will be confirmed with our technical team. 
• The access point installation and where it can be mounted will depend on the equipment we provide.

[rotfl]

Hi @TELUS_Support,

Prior to your post above I did send you a detailed PM with the information I thought you would need but I have no record of it having been sent.

A few minutes ago I sent you another PM with essentially the same information as this post.  I have no record of it having been sent either.

Is it possible they are stuck in a moderation queue somewhere? Are new community members permitted to initiate PMs?

[rotfl]

Hi @TELUS_Support 

You confirmed to me in a PM that you received my PM to which I referred in my previous post but not my original PM where I provided my customer information. 

Yesterday I replied to the email notification of your PM with my customer information:

• so I would have a copy of the message.
• because something appears to have happened the original PM with my customer information.

It didn't get delivered immediately but eventually did.

Today, I decided to send the same information to you in a PM just to make sure you received it but then this happened:

Why is it so difficult for customers to communicate with Telus?

At this point my only option is to delay this installation until I obtain the information I need and can order the equipment I need for the installation.

[rotfl]

To put things into perspective... This is a commercial installation. The customer is a new tenant in an existing facility. There is no IT infrastructure currently in place.

Today is Friday; The install is scheduled for next Tuesday. I still don't have any answers but would like to share some of my experiences along the way.

Last Monday TELUS_Support replied to my post and said, "we ask that you send us a private message with your account details. This way, we can directly connect you with our technical team and ensure your specific requirements are addressed." I've seen the same reply to many other OPs. It seems they prefer to sort things out via PM rather than in a public forum.

After multiple attempts to provide the information they requested, I finally succeeded. With that information in hand, they did not connect me with their technical team and this was their final response: "if you have more technical questions, have you attempted to reach the sales team or contact the business tech supoort (sic) team to get more info. Unfortunately it's not something we can fully assist with here".

While awaiting a response to my forum post I did connect with someone in tech support. While he couldn't answer my questions he did provide some additional insight.

• He mentioned a couple of devices that are often used for a fibre install but couldn't say which might be used on this installation.
• He repeated the same message others have told me, "the technical team (i.e. the installers) would have that information but there was no way to contact them". Perhaps that is because the specific team had not yet been assigned?
• With respect to the WiFi installation, he told me that if I could provide a floor plan the installer would select an appropriate location to install the access point.

[rotfl]

Yesterday, I got a call from Telus. The gentleman with whom I spoke wanted to confirm we were ready for the installation. He said he was not a technical person and couldn't answer my technical questions but offered to connect me with tech support at the end of the call. These are some of the things we discussed.

• The appointment time is sometime between 08:00 and 12:00. I will get a call ~ 30 minutes before they arrive. If no one is available when they arrive, there could be a $200 service charge for a missed appointment.
• He said they schedule two hours for the installation.
• I told him I likely wouldn't have a router or firewall available to which the fibre Internet would be connected. He wanted to cancel or postpone the installation.
• I asked if they could complete the wiring and if I connected the firewall when it arrived could do the setup/configuration remotely. He said yes, that would work.
• He said they might need access to the demarc point (the electrical room accessible from the outside) and wanted to make sure they could get in. 
• He did say they may have to drill through some walls to get the access point (or fibre cables) installed and wanted to insure we had the building manager's permission to do so.
• He wanted to ensure we had electrical power for the equipment they were installing. I told him there were wall outlets in the server room that could provide power.
• He asked about existing network wiring. I told him what I knew. I told him the previous tenant had Fibre 1G and if he checked that account he could probably determine what fibre connections Telus had installed. He didn't seem interested. He said that the fibre connections used for some of the 1G installations may not support the 3G speeds. He said the installers would confirm what is in place and decide if they would have to run new fibre cables.

At the end of the call, he transferred me to tech support. I was on hold for about five minutes when the call disconnected. 🙄

This saga continues on Tuesday...