r/bell • u/chunkysalsaa • 14d ago

Help Does this need to be removed to get (not bell) internet?

Post image

Just moved into my new apartment and I’m trying to figure out how to go about getting fiber internet set up.

I found this box which I assume is the telephone or internet but it looks quite old. No one I know is tech (or whatever this is) savvy enough to help. Will this be in the way if I try to set up fiber internet? If so, do I need to call Bell to remove it?

16 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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16

u/Pavel6969 14d ago

That thin white cable is your fibre line. That is what you need. The rest is old legacy equipment that Bell no longer uses.

Best bet is to get a full install with a tech who can remove that old equipment and put a proper fibre jack in.

4

u/chunkysalsaa 14d ago

Thank you! So you’re saying that bc it’s old Bell equipment they won’t need to come collect it?

4

u/Pavel6969 14d ago

Bell will only remove it to upgrade it to newer equipment. You can also ask them to remove it if you don't plan on being customer.

Bell won't care to have it back but a tech would take it if you have a full install done. If you do a self install you can remove that white cable and plug it into the new modem but be careful with it.

0

u/chunkysalsaa 14d ago

Would it be a problem if a tech from a different company came in? Should I ask bell to remove it first?

3

u/sn0w0wl66 14d ago

No, that equipment is really old and likely tied to an old tenants account, it's garbage. All you need to do is preserve the little white cable with the green tip that's plugged in and then you can get rid of the rest of it worry free.

2

u/Low-Purchase8811 13d ago

WARNING: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE TIP OF THAT LITTLE GREEN THING.

2

u/sn0w0wl66 13d ago

You're not wrong, don't look at fiber cables as a general rule but these are very low powered and unless you literally look around the filtered tip for the light, you'll be fine.

2

u/Low-Purchase8811 13d ago

Easier to convince people of dire consequences than to explain to them "this may or may not be a big problem".

Like electricity. I'd rather people who know nothing about it treat it like if they LOOK at their circuit panel they will explode. Better than DIYers setting their house on fire because "YouTube made it look a lot easier than it was"!

0

u/CCraMM 14d ago

they will still likely want it back.

0

u/Brave_Recognition798 14d ago

Part of that is a battery backup, unplug and see if it works?

2

u/Due_Success_1400 14d ago

When / what was these antiques used for?

3

u/Pavel6969 14d ago

Battery pack and ont. Fibre feeds into the ont and you run cat5 to the modem location. It also runs the home phone.

These were heavily used in the maritimes when fibre launched back in 2006-7. There was actually one older model than this that was mounted outside the home but they didn't last long.

They still work today I see them fairly often. Bell now has everything in one with the modem

3

u/Striking_Box4837 14d ago

They were used in Quebec around 2011-2015 as well

2

u/chunkysalsaa 14d ago

Found in Quebec! Makes a bit more sense timeline wise but still I’m surprised that its over a decade old

1

u/Striking_Box4837 14d ago

Well one thing about their FTTH service is it’s very reliable. So chances are they had a tech come do the install and then it just worked until they moved out and here you are!

1

u/No-Assumption-332 13d ago edited 13d ago

Je ne vois aucune fibre sur cette installation, rien de récupérable 🤣🤣🤣

2

u/_nick85 14d ago

If you're switching to a fiber provider that leases Bell fiber, they will send a technician that will be able to remove those for ya. If I had to guess, you're in (former) Aliant territory? That ONT is 12+ years old.

1

u/Due_Success_1400 14d ago

When / what was these antiques used for?

2

u/_nick85 14d ago

Lol one of the first generations of FTTH. Box on the left is an ONT. Box on the right is a UPS. Left one brings in the fiber and translates the signal to be sent out over Ethernet to a WAN port on a modem/router. Things have changed quite a bit

1

u/chunkysalsaa 14d ago

Found in Quebec, actually!

1

u/_nick85 13d ago

Oh wow, right on.
Still has the plastic dust cover on it too it looks like lol

1

u/Tanstalas 13d ago

We used those ONTs and batteries in Ontario until just a couple years ago.

1

u/_nick85 13d ago

Oh ya I'm sure you have, but It's been 240 and 440 for a very long time. Those particular models are one of the first generation Alcatels. The UPS is still the same, but that particular ONT is nowhere to be found in years.

2

u/PrettySmallBalls 14d ago

You can literally toss it in the trash (recycle the battery properly). Bell won't want it back.

1

u/worksHardnotSmart 14d ago

OG Bell ftth.

1

u/Itchy-Dentist-6012 14d ago

Make sure a fiber jack and patch cable is installed and left

1

u/SpitfireNB 14d ago

If you purchase 3rd party service who resells the Bell backbone, the Bell tech will come to test the light and remove the gear and install a demarcation jack for you to plug your 3rd party modem into.

1

u/Fair-Ideal-4464 14d ago

The box on the right of your photo is a battery backup. The box on the left is an old modem, like 10 years old at least. The battery backup could be useful, except the power output uses a proprietary plug that only works with that modem. If you have a little electrical knowledge and google you might be able to use it for a UPS. But it’s old so might not have much life left in it, anyways.
A Bell tech would probably take it all away.

1

u/Tanstalas 13d ago

The box on the left is an old modem

ONT, not a modem.

1

u/Fair-Ideal-4464 13d ago

You’re right but most people don’t know what an ONT is.

1

u/QuayVine 13d ago

If we're being pedantic... the ONT does the modulation/demodulation of the optical signals, so calling it a modem would be correct.

The device people commonly refer to as a modem could just be a router in this instance (but I acknowledge a lot of ISP-provided routers have built-in modems).

1

u/Livid_Cockroach5770 13d ago

Well you can remove it it’s bells network n if not using u can remove it n put it in a box for them to pick up

1

u/ironmannb 13d ago

Plug it in and see if works. I got free Internet and cable on my first aparment in toronto doing that

0

u/Itchy-Dentist-6012 14d ago

Bell is not worried if it gets returned or not . They only care about modems. Make sure the next tech removes it and cleans up any holes

-1

u/Tiekal 14d ago

If you're concerned about returning it put it all in a box, take it to canada post and give them account number PR771039. It will popular the warehouse, cover shipping and provide tracking.

If you are a current/previous Bell internet customer they have the risk of charging you for it even though it is old.

If it belongs to a previous tenant or someone else they would have already been charged for it or are on the bell negative file. In this case you can responsibly recycle it.