Trying to get an expected delivery date of installation of a Full Fibre Service.

[apacheman]

My Mother-in-Law is 90 years old that has Dementia and mobility issues.  We have had to install a camera at her property (with 2 way speech) to make sure she stays safe as she was answering the door to complete strangers in the dark. 

Her connection is currently with Plusnet and is ~1.6Mb/s down and well less than ~0.5Mb/s up which causes problems with the camera stream.  It was decided to go Full Fibre and we have bought a Digital Home Phone with a backup battery so that she can still accept calls and transfer her existing phone number so that everyone 'carries on as usual' when they call her.  She also has a Mobile Network connected 'Lifeline'.

Unfortunately Plusnet do not do Full Fibre with a phone connected and so it was suggested that she transferred to EE who could.  Now at 90 years old and with Dementia, she does not understand this new stuff, and so I was there to help guide her through organising the change of Suppliers.  I was already Authorised to talk to Plusnet, and when the call was transferred to EE to complete the paperwork, my MIL Authorised me to talk to EE on her behalf about anything on the Account.

Today, after passing of the install date by several weeks, I tried to get some information regarding delivery of the service from EE.  The call was answered after about ten minutes or so and I spoke with someone, who told me that Data Protection had to be invoked (understandably!) and there being no mention of me on the account (why, when it was explicitly requested at the time of ordering) he put me on hold while 'he spoke to someone'.  There I was, on hold, the call ended and I get a text from 'BT' asking how I rated the service.  Anyone like to guess??

I can find nowhere in the Account to send an email too (evidently I can do more if I download the APP - no thank you), so thought this might be a good place to ask if someone, somewhere, somehow, can get some information on when we can expect a functional Full Fibre Service.

You don't even have to answer me, just send a letter to the Account Holder at the installation address (which Openreach marked out and got a Permit to Work signed on 6th February).

I know, there is no account number or names, I do have them but will not post on an open Forum.

Meanwhile, we are trying to protect a 90 year old Lady, with Dementia and mobility issues, from being scammed or injured.  It is a big worry for me and especially my Wife, as the MIL is on an internet connection that is nowhere near suitable.

TIA

[XRaySpeX]

What does BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker estimate for MIL's phone number? Post the whole table and the line above it, blanking out the phone number. If it doesn't recognise her phone number or she don't have one, use the Address Checker.

No one will be sending any letters from this user discussion group other than thro' the medium of these forums by posts such as this. Anyway we haven't the faintest idea who you are. You need to phone CS.

[JimM11]

@apacheman I can answer the Vulnerable person status for you, EE is complete and utter rubbish at this, 100% been going through this for 4 months now with my sister's account numerous TIMES, and she lives 50 miles from me, had multiple visits and calls with both of us on line for the mobile/broadband so both, first serious call from me, dialled, EE new yes talking about sister's account, good we all got it on the same page, is your sister there we need to speak to her, Jesus what is the point off this i am not doing anything that in anyway hinders cancels etc etc, so EE need to get there act together and pretty quick....

You will find it is a complete waste of time and space, think Power of Attorney may work but cannot or even wish that on anyone, the policy they have, which WAS being reviewed a month ago by EE but not sure off the outcome, some of the EE personnel will no doubt read this reply and i sure hope that they reach out to you PDQ.... 

[danny19970]

If you have requested to move to full fiber then if the  cables have been fitted at her street they would normally send a text or a email confirming the installation date were someone needs to be home so a engineer needs to feed the cable to the home if you haven’t had a date yet then you need to call ee and ask if they’re is any updates from open reach 

[Katie_B]

Good evening @apacheman. 

Thanks for coming here and bringing this to our attention.

I would really love to help with this.

Please could you confirm if your Mother in Law still has service with Plunet that is active?

Katie

[JimM11]

@apacheman @Katie_B Katie thanks for being the EE presence with this. Now for the serious side off the FF Broadband, with having a ONT for the fibre, a EE Router for the Ethernet/Wireless side, the Digital Voice landline and protection for Digital/Analogue Life Alert side, then at least for the ONT/EE Router there is a battery backup system that will keep BOTH those items up for a variable time in a power failure, this is often missed out on so you have to deal with this with either EE or OR, GET the Vulnerable status registered with you and the MIL as quick as you can, BE WITH the MIL when you do it, data protection etc, would do both YOU/WIFE to be double sure, take it you also will be trying to remote monitor so also test while the system is going live, have all your ducks in a row.... Having gone through this i can tell you it's not going to be an easy path to complete and do hope that EE have tightened up all the procedures that need to be in place.

[apacheman]

Basingstoke Exchange Cabinet 141

@XRaySpeX I know you don't know who I am, just the same as I don't know who you are.  I am just looking for help with this problem for a Vulnerable Old Lady.  Being new to EE, I don't know how I can get this resolved in a reasonable time by speaking to a competent person.

I think I noted in my post that she already has a phone (and Internet) and that Openreach have done a survey and the SD PTW Form has been signed, there are pictures of the front garden, the path that the duct needs to be installed along and the inside of the Cable Pit with arrows to show the route.  BT won't talk to me, but they will talk to EE which is who this Contract is with.

Usually on this type of Forum there are 'trusted members' who can go just that little bit further to alert someone about a post, maybe I was hoping for too much...

As for calling CS, tried that - twice.  I like the 'we will TRY and answer your call in 20 minutes'.  I am in the latter years of my life and have far more important things I need to do instead of waiting to be cut off after 20 minutes by CS.

@JimM11   I am sorry you are in the same boat. One can only hope that it gets solved sooner rather than later.  But I will keep your experience in mind.  Thank you!

@danny19970Yes, I have had texts from Openreach advising of visits, but everything is now quiet...

These problems are why I pay extra and get a decent ISP where I can talk to people, anytime on the phone (they like to answer within minutes, if they don't, the call is intercepted and a message taken for a callback, or email, or even online if I wish in a Chat room full of support.  I stay away from the run of the mill providers precisely because of this kind of problem.

Just an FYI, my internet experience started with 56k Dial Up modems and all of the technologies in between up to FTTP, including a time when I was a Beta Tester for a leading progressive ISP.  I do know how this works (or not).

[apacheman]

Yes Katie, Thank you for you help.

She does still have active internet from Plusnet which is supposedly @10Mb/s, but in fact, very much slower, completely adequate for her to use her iPad, but not much else.  However, Plusnet  were not interested in upgrading it from 10M VDSL, they only wanted to install FTTP, but they couldn't do the Internet Telephone, which is why we were passed to EE.

Unfortunately the connection is so poor that the speeds are completely inadequate for us to see live video to check and communicate with any unknown callers to her house.

Best wishes,
Colin

[apacheman]

Thank you @JimM11 

I already have receipt of the Digital Home Phone with the battery backup (with Mobile Network connection should the Internet go down) along with the Router and Home Phone Adapter so that we can put another phone in her Bedroom.  Although I had to ask for all these things, none were offered.  I can rig up some tech that will monitor both the Internet connection, and the Power so that by the time any battery runs out we can have someone with her.  I have also asked for her existing telephone  number to be transferred to the new 'Digital line' (VOIP).

Hopefully @Katie_B will be able to help 'get all the ducks in a row'.

EDIT:  Just to add she has a 'Lifeline' connected to the Mobile Network (Multi Provider SIM).

[Bewdley13]

Hi @JimM11  if @apacheman 's mother in law has dementia my understanding is that she is unable to legally appoint attorneys to act on her behalf. To proceed further, it would b necessary to go to the Court Of Protection to be made a Deputy. I think this would involve the services of a solicitor and is a costly and very lengthy process, I believe.