This topic

Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Lydiajade94 — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 22:21:49 GMT

Hi all

I've posted a few times here now, mostly venting but I'm here for genuine advice now as I can't seem to get any from the tech experts at BT and openreach just send me copy and paste "sorry" replies. I'm going to give you my full story so sit tight, thanks so much in advance for any time or help I really really appreciate it.

I moved into a housing associations property after a six year wait on the council list. I had no choice but to accept the property as refusing sets you back down the list, my girls needed this space. Now I work 6 days a week with two under ten year olds and I just about manage, but cannot afford luxuries like starlink or commission a change in infrastructure.

I'm a call handler for emergency pull cords, for older people or those that need supported living or even lone workers, your gran fall over and pulled the red cord? I'm the one who answers and helps. It's a very important job. However, Covid hit hard and our office has been sold, my last day in office was today! So we work from home! Well not on my absolute max speed of 3mbps for £30 a month. My immediate neighbours enjoy FTTP, yet I cannot. I've tried EE 4g home router and it's abysmal, drops and disconnected me from teams every two minutes so its gone back (thank god for the 14 day cooling off).

What have I done so far?

Called FTTP team ✔️ Spoke to Openreach ✔️ Signed up for "fibre availability" updates (actually recieved two emails stating its all good to order, it was a mistake, both times) ✔️ Asked for engineer, refused ✔️ asked for the property to be surveyed, refused ✔️ Complained to BT and offered EE 4gee home broadband which was literally broken awful ✔️

What options do I have left guys? Do I really have to put myself and my girls back on a housing list and pray that the next property I get in years to come is fibre ready? Do I get the communications ombudsman involved? Do I email Clive our buddy ceo at openreach (Obviously not) Do I ask for a payrise so I can commission new infrastructure? Obviously that's impossible for me I'm broke-ish

Here's my bt whole sale check.

https://ibb.co/rwBB3gc

Again guys thanks for sticking with me, please any advice would be greatly appreciated it.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

ctrlz — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 22:27:35 GMT

Have you tried contacting USO team? The obligation is to get you a decent connection (above 10mbps) and if this can’t be met by your existing line or by 4g they would go to Openreach to get a quote to provide fibre infrastructure to your property.
The scheme includes an allowance of around £3500 (may be slightly off) which may be enough to cover the work if it’s with your neighbours already.
BT have a dedicated page on their site and a team you can speak to about it.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Lydiajade94 — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 22:38:08 GMT

I have read about the USO and people's experiences. One customer stated an check was carried out on a wireless device. 4G speed test with a hub that consistently had low speeds in different spots around his property, it tested once over 10mbps and the whole thing was dropped. So whilst it definitely is an option, if they find a nook in my house where 4G does actually hit 10mbps and i hear "there we go, that'll do it" I won't be held responsible for my actions. On a serious note I'll look into it and if they do go forward with tests I'll be RIGHT next to them for the entire thing. I'll make sure it's reliable and doesn't drop that's definite. It's my work on the line at the end of it all. It's 2022, it baffles me that 3mbps is my top speed when I lived on this street four doors down 10 years ago and had higher speeds. It's nuts.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

ctrlz — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 23:54:23 GMT

My understanding is that it should be a consistent 10mbps connection, so if you had the rare moment where you get over 10 but the majority of the time it’s much lower I can’t imagine they wouldn’t pursue it with Openreach still.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

jac_95 — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 02:50:53 GMT

@Lydiajade94 looking at your BT wholesale availability results Full Fibre (FTTP) infrastructure is available to you. However at present capacity is currently full. Most likely at the aggregation node.

This will eventually be increased by Openreach and especially as you are on a full fibre (FTTP) priority exchange meaning you will also eventually only have full fibre available to you and potentially why at present capacity is full as customers start to migrate to full fibre.

Keep an eye on https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/ as it should eventually change from showing as waiting list to available for WBC FTTP

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Starman — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 05:56:42 GMT

If your working from home now doesn’t your employer provide you with a paid for connection or contribute perhaps?

Seems odd that a critical service such as care line is being offered via a consumer grade connection. A 2nd business line specifically for your work would maybe mitigate some issues.

Does bidb.uk suggest any other providers at your address? - https://bidb.uk/

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Lydiajade94 — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 07:07:40 GMT

They provide the means to connect securely to the server but that's about it.

I emailed Clive Selley in a "desperate cry for help" not long ago, woke up this morning and he's actually emailed me back with his IT team on hand to see if it's a data issue. Actually surprised the CEO of openreach replied, he's very pleasant too. Hopefully it gets the ball rolling.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

licquorice — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 07:25:24 GMT

I find it bizarre that an employer that forces you to work from home (office has been sold) rather than you electing to work from home doesn't provide the means for you to do so.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Lydiajade94 — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 07:34:41 GMT

Our new hubs will be ready in 3-4 weeks. It's not permanent. Yeah it was a six story building with several organisations, the majority closed up shop during lockdown and the dated spaces were hard to fill, the higher ups sold it and within a year they'll be amazing apartments but yes it's out of our control. Like I said they're supplying everything but if I can't get signal in here or access to fibre, who's at fault?certainly isnt my manager or myself. 3mbps speed in 2022 for anyone is just wrong; I'd understand if I was out in the sticks but I don't, I'd also suck it up if it was the whole street putting up with it but my next door neighbours enjoying their imax enhanced movies and uninterrupted teams calls whilst I'm back in 2004

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 08:26:00 GMT

Use the link @Starman provided to see if there's an alternative 4G provider with better coverage than EE.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

iniltous — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 08:38:30 GMT

Have you posted the entire entry for you address from the ‘wholesale checker ‘ ?,

If an area has FTTP access ( and it does appear that you do have FTTP albeit showing ‘waiting list’ and 330Mb instead of 1000Mb ) could suggest some non standard issues .

If your address is housing association owned , have they given permission for OR to install FTTP , depending on the type of address and layout of the ‘neighbourhood’ it’s possible that FTTP equipment has to be wall mounted and Openreach don’t have any ‘right’ to install equipment on private property like they do in the public footpaths, are you aware of any possible issues like this ?

Although understandable, there are many network providers , not just OR , have you enquired with any of those other networks why you cannot get their FTTP , are you equally ‘angry’ with them or is it reserved just for OR ?

As said , you do have a ‘right’ to a minimum speed of 10Mb , but solutions can be 12-24 months away once a USO application is made , and if mobile ( with an antenna if necessary ) can provide that , then that is the USO satisfied, but TBH , I suspect FTTP is accessible but there are other issues.

Some councils / housing associations have done sweetheart deals with alternative network providers and may be ‘difficult’ with anyone other than the provider they have chosen , even if that providers network may be months or years away.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Les-Gibson — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:17:47 GMT

Those speeds are abysmal even for ADSL.

Are you connecting to the master telephone socket or an extension?

What type of master socket have you got (See What type of master socket have I got? | BT Help)

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Lydiajade94 — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:28:46 GMT

It just has a single socket with a micro filter. Fun tidbit, if my daughter slams the door in a mood or if I draw my curtains (next to the socket) my hub starts flashing pink then goes orange for a while so I lose the tiny 3mbps I do have! Found out if I even gently touch the master socket or filter it happens, so somthings loose somewhere just no obvious signs of damage. I lived with my mum for 6 years and she had full fibre so it does feel like I'm back in the stone age. Silver lining, daugther hasnt touched her ipad in weeks, roblox won't work 😁

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:47:26 GMT

If you have one, try another microfilter. I'd expect there to be two in the box the router came in.

If you have a phone connected, dial 17070 & select option 2 for a Quiet Line Test. It should be near silent with no crackling. If you do hear any noise report this as a telephone fault rather than broadband. Although you should be able to report a fault based solely on the disconnects you're experiencing.

https://www.bt.com/help/report-and-track-your-bt-problem

If you have a split faceplate on the socket you could try the test socket behind as explained here:

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/fix-a-problem/broadband-and-wi-fi/how-to-use-your-test-socket

But you could also make it worse if the bad connection is on the incoming line. We could probably help you with that but understand the risk first.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Les-Gibson — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:44:17 GMT

If at all possible, use a corded phone when dialling 17070 and if I may just correct what is almost certainly a typo on behalf of @Anonymous it should be silent with no crackling

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:49:25 GMT

@Les-Gibsonwrote:
If at all possible, use a corded phone when dialling 17070 and if I may just correct what is almost certainly a typo on behalf of @Anonymous it should be silent with no crackling

Doh!

Fixed. 🙈

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:56:32 GMT

@Lydiajade94

If you have just a single socket, then you can remove the bottom section and plug the microfilter into the test socket, and that eliminates any bad connection between the front and back sections.

Re: Having a nightmare with BT and Openreach

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 11:07:26 GMT

@Lydiajade94

Just to add to my last post. If you have an NTE5C, then they are known to give connection problems.

Either way, you can leave the microfilter plugged into the test socket all of the time, as it eliminates a major cause of failure.