On Mon, 12 Apr 2021 11:40:54 GMT, JohnP wrote:

(are they still called that)

I thought they were called telegraph poles.

BT Openreach have been doing some work in my
area (Fibre?) and on my daily walks I have noticed some poles have at the
base a 20mm diameter rod or tube abutting the post with about a foot above
ground and a metal staple holding it against the post - and a rubber or
plastic cap on it.

Has anyone noticed the same and has any idea what it could be?

I believe they are now allowed to use overhead fibre optic cables and
there is some modification to the poles.