My EE Fibre installation hell

[martinmcd21]

I am at the absolute end of my tether. It’s mostly Openreach’s fault by EE aren’t covering themselves in glory either.

Fibre came to my area and it was able to be ordered in August. I was delighted and I did so. Step 1 was due for mid August and the final install for 5th of September. Openreach did not turn up despite texting saying it was all on, for both parts.

I raised it with EE and it was passed to the mysterious Customer Assist Team, whom, 6 months on, I have never, ever heard a word from. 

I have called EE 30 times over the 6 month period. Every new deadline was missed, every single time, with no communication. The blame was squarely on Openreach, the just couldn’t be bother to come and do the Step 1 which was a soft dig across my grass to put in ducting from a junction box outside my front fence.

Eventually in January there were signs they had been in my garden. I eventually found where they had put the outside box, in a ludicrous location, but at least we had progress. 

Engineer came on the 28th of Jan to complete the install, but it failed because the fibre in the ground was damaged. It was damaged because they hadn’t bothered to use ducting, just dug up my grass a bit and chucked the fibre cable in the ground. 

It was then to be resolved by the 8th of Feb. Nothing. Not a word and no sign of anyone. 

I phone EE now and they say I’ll get a call back by 7pm - no call. Then they say it will be within 24 hours. No call. 

Apparently the “civils teams are busy”. I bet they are but they can come off what they are doing and come and fix this surely given how long it’s been and what a mess they’ve made of this. 

EE won’t even give me a 5G router in the meantime. I despair.

[Mustrum]

@martinmcd21   from what you say I am a little surprised you were able to get an order placed. It does not sound like a simple straight forward install, whereas Openreach would normally get the easy ones done first before tackling anything a bit more challenging.

Are you able to post the results of the BTW DSL Checker using your landline number, but making sure it is hidden when you post? https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL 

[martinmcd21]

All of my neighbours now have fibre. When we built our house 6 years ago we put in ducting but never bothered actually ordering a landline. That’s the only difference. Openreach say it is straightforward, they just “can’t spare” a civils team to come and do a 2 hour job across soft ground. 

When fibre was being planned for the area I phoned everyone. BT, Openreach, you name it. I asked if I should order a landline to make fibre installation easier when it came. I was told by everyone, no, no need, we’ll come across your garden, we have much more complex jobs.

[Mustrum]

Did you not let Openreach installers know about the ducting?

Were you not there when they laid the fibre and outside box?

[martinmcd21]

I certainly did. I even showed them the other end under my floor on my house. They said they couldn’t find the other end and would just “knife” across the grass. Then when they came back to do it I was out despite saying they would let me know when they were coming. 

And when they did, the just shoved the cable in the ground with no ducting. And are now posted missing after being missing for 5 months previously.

[pip11]

Please post the info requested if you wish assistance. Also include the notes at the bottom of the table.

[martinmcd21]

Did you miss the piece where I said I did not have a landline?

[XRaySpeX]

Then use the Address Checker on the link @Mustrum posted.

[martinmcd21]

It requires a landline number. 
I sense hostility.

[martinmcd21]

 

I see the address checker now. It was not obvious.