Get your Openserve Fibre line installed

We’ve put together this guide to make your Openserve Fibre installation process as smooth as possible.

This guide includes a lot of information, with some important things for you to do, and think about. We feel that you should rather have too much info than too little at this point. Please make sure to read the points at the end if you’re in a TL;DR mood!

Routers and settings:

You can also use your own router and configure it yourself – just make sure it is set to PPPoE with the details we provide you. We have most router settings on this page of our website: https://www.atomicaccess.co.za/docs/router-settings/.

If you ordered a router from Atomic, we’ll arrange to configure it and deliver it.

Power for hardware requirements:

• One is for the ONT device that Openserve will install (Optical Network Terminal, equivalent to a fibre modem).
• The other is for your WiFi router.

The Install – How it works:

In order to power the devices that are being installed, you need to have 2 x 2 prong adapters in close proximity to each other (these devices are hard-wired together with a network cable).

• The fibre installation is something the Fibre Network Operator (FNO), Openserve, handles (not Atomic).
• While the FNO do many of the installs themselves, they also contract some of the work out to third-party contractors.
• Openserve will contact you directly to schedule the install and will use a combination of calls and SMS.
• Worth noting that the teams coming into your home, are doing so for the first time, so it is your responsibility to point out hazards and areas you don’t want them to run fibre.
• Depending on your installation difficulty, they will likely be drilling into/through walls, and this means you will need to advise if there are any water mains pipes, electric cables or other hazards where the drilling will take place.
• The first 8m (as the crow flies) of the installation is covered by the standard installation fee. Any extra distance can be provided at R184 per metre up to a maximum of 200m.
• Outside your property boundary, Openserve provides the trenching and conduits.
• Inside your property boundary, Openserve does not provide any trenching, conduit, lifting of paving or repaving. If you have a long driveway or need trenches dug you will need to arrange this beforehand.
• In some instances, your fibre might be installed from a telephone pole (Aerial Fibre), or an Openserve manhole.
  • If Openserve have Aerial Fibre in your area, they will run the cable
• If you have existing conduits you would like to use they need to be in an excellent state of repair, with no gaps or holes and have a drawstring to pull the fibre cable through. If your conduit is damaged or does not have a drawstring, it cannot be used.
• NB: If you have any issues with the installation taking place, please raise this with the installation team during the installation (if possible) as they are most likely able to deal with your issues then (and to get them to come back in a timely manner can be a challenge).

Tips and tricks to make the installation go smoothly:

• The first thing you need to think about is where you’d like your router to eventually go (within reason). Bear in mind that both the devices your FNO install and your router need to be within range of a plug. The technicians can help advise on this if you are unsure, or call us for advice.
• Be clear about where you want cables to run and where you want boxes to be attached to your walls. Explain how you want things to look and if you want to hide any parts of the installation. Be explicit, the cables and boxes are not going to be moving after they have been installed.
• They are meant to be in and out in under 2 hours, so if you need special consideration for your installation this will need to be planned beforehand and is not part of a regular installation scope.

How long it takes to actually get onto the internet:

• Your line should be activated immediately after installation. In some cases, this might not be technically feasible, and your technicians should be able to inform you of any additional steps to make your service live, during the installation.
• Please note you will need to input your Atomic PPPoE username and password to your WiFi router, or plug in the provided WiFi router if you wanted us to provide one – it will come pre-configured. If we still owe you a WiFi router, please contact us so we can expedite one to you.

Recap of key points:

• Please ensure you are at home during the installation. An adult needs to be at home to instruct the installers and also sign for approval. It’s a bad idea to leave written notes and to get your domestic helper to instruct the installers and approve the installation.
• You should be live the same day, or 1-2 working days after the installation but up to 5 working days, but in very rare occasions or pre-live installations, it might take a little longer. For example, if there are multiple Fibre Termination Units (FTU) in your area, Openserve HQ might need to update their system to reflect which FTU your property is connected to.
• You will need two 2-prong plug points.
• The fibre equipment remains the property of Openserve, damage or loss will result in replacement costs. Please leave the fibre boxes and power supply if you move.
• Billing starts once your service is live and you will get your invoice via email at the end of your first month. Any partial month will be billed pro-rata from the day after you are activated.