topic Re: Outside box in wrong location in Broadband & Landline

Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:56:31 GMT

My fibre installation was sub contracted to Circet via BY Openreach. I was out at the time, but my wife knew exactly where we wanted the fibre to entre the house.

Instead, Cirect rock up and convinces my wife it would be better installing into the kitchen (i.e. directly where the cable came out from the ground) which is at the furtherst point of the house where we would usually use WIFI.

She was told, if I was to run a 30ft cable around the side of your building it will likely have a serious impact on your speed and you don't want that. He was in and out with 8 minutes.

I complained to BT, Openreach a complaints number was generated then at some point in June I receive a text from a Circet rep manager sho said he was send out one of his engineers to look at in two day. Two weeks, guy rocks up and says I am not allowed to touch the box ( even though they installed it) and said he's report back to Gavin his manager. I tried call / text Gavin, messages were being read but nothing coming back.

A few month later I call Circet speak to a lovely lady who sais she would send out another enginner. No one showed up.

I then try networkconnections at open reach and there recent repose was we don't do new installs and the work would be chargeable rate. I now have Clive ***** email address and sent him an email. I was going to leave this one for week before reaching out to Ofcom
I going to go mental on socials and trustpilot, but does anyone else have any other ides for me to get some form of traction on this - This has been appalling customer service

Thanks,

Holiam

[mod edit: employee details removed from the community]

Re: Outside box in wrong location

XRaySpeX — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:11:58 GMT

OFCOM don't handle individual complaints. You can make a formal complaint to EE & if you don't get satisfaction after 8 weeks you can take it to EE's ADR provider. See Complaints code of practice and here is the Complaints Form .

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Leanne_T — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:57:59 GMT

Hi there @Holiam2024

I am really sorry this has happened when the box was installed and this has been placed in the wrong place. I can fully understand how frustrating this must be for you and can see you have mentioned this has been going on for a few months now.

If you could complete the complaints form @XRaySpeX has provided it will be sent direct to the executive team to get looked into and one of the team will get in touch.

Please let us know how you get on.

Leanne.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

JimM11 — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:49:46 GMT

@Holiam2024 Your complaint to BT, are you a BT or EE ISP user? OR will do nothing unless instructed by the actual ISP.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:20:38 GMT

@XRaySpeX @Leanne_T @JimM11 , I have put in a complaint with EEbut my story is a little more complicated and would ask your opinion on how best to proceed.
I originally ordered full fibre from Cuckoo and it was then that arrange for BT Open Reach to come out. Unfortunately, even with the engineer on site, we could not get any live connection so I cancelled the contract with Cuckoo.
I then went to EE and explained the situation and the c0ck-up with the install and was assured that when the new engineers come out, I could explain the situation and they would put it right.
Unfortunately they didn't need to send out engineers and they were able to activate the line from the back end.
I will also add, I have had some correspondence back from ceo@openreach.co.uk which did state they were taking this matter very seriously but also that I should contact the ISP.
Trouble is Cuckoo don't use BT anymore, they have switched to CityFibre.

I was advised on devices to improve WIFI - so I had to provide a little more context to them in that I am a Cyber Security Consultant and my office is where all my computer are and they will all need to be plugged in to the router (all my hardware is ubiquity) and I also have two NAS drives that have a 10GB port than can connect to my 10GB port on my Mac, but the Nas drives will need to be plugged into the router also for me to achieve this.

Trying to run this of WIFI is pointless

So I've raised the complaint with EE as they did promise that engineers would be coming out to do the install, but their form states it could take a week to get a response. The BT OR contact seems to be very helpful and all I am asking is for them to send out an engineer to he can assess the issue and report back with the hope that an appointment is forthcoming to rectify the issue. TBH the BY OR team who installed the fibre to the house (leaving sufficient extra cable for the next engineer to be able to place the ONT box into the office) were great, but their subcontracted engineer from Circet was dishonest to my wife, and workmanship was poor. Damage to wall behind the outside box, and not even clearing up the mess from drilling in the kitchen - he clearly wanted in and out as quickly as possible as it just so happens the fibre was pulled out from the ground at the exact place he put the ONT box.
I reminded BT OR, which I thought their engineers did a great job, any other engineer they subcontract acts on behalf of BT, and in this case I was badly let down, and after two attempts tp get circet out, one chap did show up and said he need to speak to his boss to wotk out what to do and that was the last I heard from this company period.

So is there any merit after nearly 10 months complaining with Cuckoo, whose contract was terminated same day due to not being able to deliver a live signal?

This is so frustrating!

Re: Outside box in wrong location

JimM11 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 13:25:16 GMT

@Holiam2024 Since you are down the complaint route, better to leave EE to sort this all out for you now.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Mustrum — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:18:36 GMT

@Holiam2024 I can't see any benefit contacting Cuckoo.

But even with EE, Openreach are not obliged to deliver the fibre where you want it in your premises, they will always seek to install it as near the access point and close to two power sources as they can. Tea/Coffee and chocky biscuits can help, as can pre prepared ducting and pull through cords - not being there to explain dows not.

Getting a signal around your premises is down to you. That can be via WiFi, or you can install a suitable ethernet cable to where you want the router to be.

Did you do any research about what Openreach could deliver and where before the instal? Your wife agreed the position with the installers so I really do not understand what you are now trying to achieve 10 month later.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:27:10 GMT

Are EE fairly reliable in this department. I tried calling them last week and both their customer service telephone number and their chat box stated a 6 hour wait - is this normal? or is there a best time or secret number that gets your through quicker 🙂

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:44:46 GMT

I don't agree Mustrum, and yes I did do my research as I think I explained previously, when BT OR spent the best part of 5 hours lifting up a paved private area on a cold wet day, I didn't know at that point where the cable was going to come out. When this became apparent, he said there would be no problem tacking in 30 feet or so and left sufficient fibre wrapped on a cylinder device for that very reason.

I have some flats across the street from where I live, and I can see the cable crossing 50 - 60 feet across the front of some of them to get to the write flat & room. Is your suggestion is they would just bung it in on the nearest ground floor flat and tell all the residents to grab some cat 6 cable and finish the themselves?

Or what about if the nearest room to the fibre outlet was your bathroom - would you be ok with the ONT being fitted there?

I've had many installs done in the past and if it was BT OR who came to do the ONT then we would not be having this discussion. I've never had an issue with any previous installs, requesting where I want to cable to enter (perhaps I''ve been lucky) but even ceo@BTopenreach aggrees with me and it should have been fitted at the agreed destination. I've also had this confirmed from a couple of BT OR chaps that were working on a neighbours property.

Perhaps different process where you live

Re: Outside box in wrong location

JimM11 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:58:27 GMT

@Holiam2024 Think this more about you being there to instruct or cancel the job at the point of installation when/if agreement could not be reached with the installation team/contractors to OR.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Mustrum — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 20:27:57 GMT

@Holiam2024 I can understand that you may not agree with me, but I don't beleive I said anything unreasonable.

But I do wonder if there is a misunderstanding on some of the info, and therefore that appears why you are trying to still get this sorted so long after the event?

I gather you ordered fibre from Cuckoo in Jan/Feb?

An attempt was made to install the service, so I assume that is when the ONT was installed in the current location.

For whatever reason the install was unsuccessful, so you cancelled the service.

You ordered a similar service from EE in May./un which was successful - but the ONT is not where you want it.

At some stage you complained to Cuckoo, but with no active service they were not interested.

So now you are trying your luck with EE.

In-between these events you had a moan to Clive who is/was sympathetic.

At some unknown time block paving was dug up.

At some unknown time fibre was laid and excess was left.

At some unknown time the excess was not used as agreed by your wife.

Lots of other irrelevant info introduced, wire on flats 50 yards away, 10Gb devices, all of your previous installs, your mates opinions and so on, but no admission of your own responsibility for distributing your own data in your own premisses, it all just sounds like more bluster than information that is helping your case.

I really do hope this helps - at the very least think about putting your case in a logical sequence which will then help work out who best can help

Ulitmatley you could fix this with 10m of decent quality ethernet cable.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 21:40:42 GMT

@JimM11 Not quite, the OR team were well aware of what the ask was to the extent they even chalked mark an X on where the ONT was to be fitted leaving sufficient fibre to complete the job. I was told the job card? was clear on where it was to go and that would be past to the next team to install the ONT - which didn't happen, and Circet did take responsibility of this initially before going radio silent.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 22:01:13 GMT

@Mustrum , first of all I'd like to apologise for my tone in my previous response to you. I appreciate this community is people given up their free time to help others with their issues, and I for one appreciate that.

Just for clarity and not going to babble on again - sequence of events

1. I ordered fastest fibre connection from Cuckoo
2. OR send round and did an amazing job of running the cable lifting up cobbled private area on a cold and wet day (I did keep them supplied with coffee and bacon rolls). OR left c. 40 ft of fibre at the property and placed an X on where the PNT box was to be installed. I was informed that these instructions would be passed on to the installer.
3. Installer came (Circet), wife went over what was agreed and he overruled these instructions stating speed would be significantly hampered by extending the fibre cable some 30 feet from where it was unearthed. Circet left even though the line was not active and instructed my wife to contact ISP
4. Following day, I call Cuckoo and explain the situation, they confirm issue with backend. I gave them a day to resolve.
5. In the mean time, I call in to my local EE shop and enquire about their Broadband equivalent, whilst a little more expensive, the discount on the Mobile tariff more than made up for it. I ask EE if I we cuckoo is unable to resolve issue, and I decided to move to EE, would their engineers be able to move the ONT to the correct location, and I was assured that this would be no problem.
6. Following day Cuckoo still having backend issues, so I cancel, pop back into EE sign up for their offering, was given an installation date from when their engineers would come.
7. Engineers didn't come as they were able to take over the existing line without any visit.
8. From this point on the finger pointing exercise began - this is Circet's problem, you need to speak to EE, you need to speak to BT and so on
9. I have emails from both Circet and OR apologising for the delay and both offering to have this matter resolved. and then it went quiet today.

Happy Ending
I received a call from OR relocation team Manager who has confirmed this will be relocated free of charge within the next two weeks.

Thanks to all who contributed
Holiam2024

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Mustrum — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 22:33:14 GMT

@Holiam2024 I really do appreciate your update, and in turn and as it approaches Christmas I do hope your gratitude extends to the guys who sort out the extension.

I have unmarked your solution, it did not make sense, and was not the solution, I could be cheeky and mark my previous or even this reply as a solution, but leave the choice to you.

I have to say, I am very disappointed with your previous replies, and do wonder why you felt the need to resort to such ways, on the other hand, I do look forward to the help you could provide to fellow customers, Cyber Security knowledge is an easy help for those who know a bit about it.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 10:01:45 GMT

Hi Mustrum, I apologise- I'm a newbie here and assumed solution was that the matter looked now it was going to be resolved. Didn't realise it was going to lock the thread.

You are absolutely correct, in the same manner as I did with the OR team that laid the cable for nearly 5 hours picking up cobbled stone and replacing them to the extent you would never know they had been touched - all of this on a windy and very wet day were treated to unlimited tea/coffee breaks, biscuits and bacon rolls.

But as you say, it's festive time, so I may need to festive up my game, but rest assured they will be well looked after. In fact after 10 months of trying to resolve, I'm likely to hug them and declare my undying love - but would prefer not to have a restraining order our against me, should I need their assistance again.

I'm sorry you feel disappointed, but I think if I was to share all the emails/texts, over the last ten months, you would know why I am a little frustrated. A lot of the time in the event of emergencies, I had to resort to travelling some distance to the office in order to get the speeds I need to be able to be effective in my role. I specialise in ransomware attacks, data breaches, and global threat analysis on suspicious network traffic, I am also qualified in digital forensics and AI, and often provide expert witness services to the courts for anything cyber crime related (Prosecution and Defence).

A great deal of what I require to do during cyber attacks requires me to have fast internet access for obvious reasons or worst case attend onsite.

I would be more thank happy to provide support to this excellent community should you require it and sorry again for the tone of my earlier emails. I'm genually a very composed a polite individual but following an recent incident where I was unable to be effective in my role, I started to lose my patience with so many broken promises and delays

I have 4 desktops and 12 display units, so porting them through to the kitchen was never going to be the right answer.

I want to personal thank you all @Mustrum @JimM11 @Leanne_T and @XRaySpeX for all you comments and advice. I appreciate you all go out your way to help those in need voluntarily, and that speaks volumes.

I will be happy to come back and report when the ONT is in the correct position - I suppose that would be the time we hit the solution button, or did I get that wrong again? if so, it would appear I have a newbies thread that I need to read.

If you don't get a chance to see the update, I would love to wish you all a very happy time over the festive period with you family and friends. Thank again for your support

Best wishes,

Holiam

Re: Outside box in wrong location

JimM11 — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 10:16:40 GMT

@Holiam2024 As you say, the resolution is in sight and OR will step up and get it done, cuckoo has flown the nest, but looking like it's all going to come together now and you will be a happy bunny. If ever a next time, you have to make sure to be there and stamp your authority to what is needed, i did the same with MJ Quinn OR contractor when he came LATE for the install, wanted to do quick/easy best for him, your having a laugh i said, he said no serious, JOB STOPPED. Did cause a 21 day delay but whatever just wanted it done my way, worst of all was I prepped everything before the install, OR did the second attempt in / out 1hr job done, easiest ever install and got (2 for the price of one as the engineer's) lives 2 minute walking distance from me. 100% they agreed stop was the right thing to do.

Re: Outside box in wrong location

Holiam2024 — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 10:31:50 GMT

Lesson well a truly learnt - the OR team did chalk a lovely X where the box was to go and leave 40 feet of additional cable and apparantly instructions were to be passed to the next engineer , so I mistakingly thought this was a slam dunk - but never again. I will be shadowing the ONT installer every step of the way! And next time I will provide him the portable vacuum cleaner do he can tidy up the mess from the drilling left inside the property! I may have to give him a quick demo on how it works, but none the less, he will leave the carpet as he found it! 😁