Fibre to Property Farce

[Fatflatty]

I live in develop of apartments and a while ago BT Openreach installed fibre to the manhole outside the property. My phone was out of contract (with EE) so I contacted them for options and was offered a good discount if I took FTTP broadband. I did raise questions about the install as there is no route for the fibre to get into the property. I was told the computer says “yes’ and BT Openreach will visit to sort out the issue.

1st Appointment - Morrrison Utility Services turn up to install the apparatus in the property. They have no idea where the fibre is, I had to show them. They inform me they don’t know how to get the fibre to the property, but will install the necessary hardware in my property. But agreed it was pointless as they have no idea where the fibre will enter the property. They said they would escalate the matter and get BT Openreach to visit.

I had a call from BT who told me an Openreach engineer would come out to resolve the issues.

2nd Appointment - Morrison Utility Services turn up to install the apparatus in the property. Again, the information he had was incorrect and couldn’t find the fibre. I showed him where the fibre was, he checked, yes that is where my fibre will be fed from, but there is no way to get it into the property. He said it was pointless installing the apparatus as it will probably be in the wrong place. He said he would escalate the matter and get BT Openreach to visit.

I have had a further call from BT “to install the equipment in my property”. I have explained the problems and I have been assured a BT Openreach engineer will attend.

Am I confident - NO

I have now had to arrange to be at home on three separate occasions, not really an acceptable situation. My ‘go live date’ has come and gone!

[Minkey1]

@Fatflatty 

Bit more info will help the expert users on here visualise your situation.

Is it a modern development?

Does the fibre run in pavement ducting?

Is their a landline socket in your flat?

Where is your apartment in the building, in relation to the manhole?

Can you “see” a logical route from the pavement to your apartment?

Has anyone mentioned landlord’s or freeholder’s permission being necessary?

Have you enquired of neighbours or the landlord/freeholder?

FWIW, if the fibre runs in pavement ducting and the apartment block is modern, there’s likely an existing route into the property, especially if there’s already a telephone socket. 

Good luck.

[JimM11]

@Fatflatty MDU's are a complete different kettle of fish with regards to FF FTTP installations, if the fibre is not already in the property location then delay's are inevitable... OR Planning if they do come will be able to give you the better idea with what is going on. Hope it all works out.

[Fatflatty]

Bit more info will help the expert users on here visualise your situation.

Is it a modern development?

Hi Minkey1

Thanks for the reply, the situation is:

Does the fibre run in pavement ducting?  There is no pavement, the property is on a country estate and the nearest public road is several 100m away. However, when the building was converted ducting was run from the road. There was no excavation to get the fibre into the estate and into the manhole outside the building.

Where is your apartment in the building, in relation to the manhole? The manhole is about 15m from the front of the property in an area of block paving. The engineers who have visited have confirmed that my property will be fed from this manhole.

Can you “see” a logical route from the pavement to your apartment?  I believe there are already ducts in place. The property conversion is relatively new. There are service cupboards in the communal are and a service cupboard in my apartment. 

Has anyone mentioned landlord’s or freeholder’s permission being necessary? Yes, but I don’t believe the engineers who visited took the time to investigate, they are paid per install. They either want to install where it suits them in the property, or won’t install because it might be in the wrong place. They have also said BT Openreach may need to do more work to facilitate the install. But nn one seems to be taking the trouble to actually look at what is/isn’t required.

Have you enquired of neighbours or the landlord/freeholder? Yes, the management company are useless and have asked me to let them know how it goes. One neighbour has it installed - no excavation they found the duct and installed it!

FWIW, if the fibre runs in pavement ducting and the apartment block is modern, there’s likely an existing route into the property, especially if there’s already a telephone socket. My service cupboard has the BT Master socket with 2x electric sockets next to it. The cabling is internal, no runs visible.

[Minkey1]

@Fatflatty 

“One neighbour has it installed - no excavation they found the duct and installed it!”

There’s a way in then. OR or their agents just have to find it and use it. Hopefully the next lot will have a bit more gumption. Good luck.

[Fatflatty]

Good news!

BT Openreach have been here a couple of times in the last few days. Yesterday the ‘A-Team’ were on site.

The activity was to sort another neighbours install and success! After several hours my neighbour got his install completed. BT have identified a duct that runs from the manhole into the service inlet cupboard and were able to get the fibre into the block then into my neighbours home.

My install is this afternoon so it looks like it will be successful.

I had a good chat with the engineer yesterday and my neighbour has also had the run around from contractors working for BT. They are paid based on the number of installs they complete in a day. If the install is difficult they just walk away. It seems I am third person here to have to have multiple visits before a BT Openreach engineer is sent to sort it out. An utter waste of everyone’s time!!

[JimM11]

@Fatflatty You are right about the contractor, i personally sent him packing when he arrived to do the install, he was just having a laugh, fixed idea, not open to any suggestion, but it cost an extra 21 day's on the installation, before OR came and did what was required with no problem what so ever. It is what it is!  

[Fatflatty]

It was obvious all they wanted to do was install the equipment in my property even though they had no idea how the fibre was going to get to it. The second contractor was more pragmatic, his view was it was pointless until OR had sorted things out. He also said he wouldn’t get paid for the visit.

[Minkey1]

@Fatflatty 

🤞