Flat & Fibre Installation problem

[Flambert]

My son recently moved into a flat in a converted house.

BT address checker says cannot get fibre installed to flat.

However, an adjacent flat at same address checks out as can get fibre installed there.

No fibre is currently installed at any of the flats.

Openreach have recently been on site and have confirmed can physically run fibre to either flat, using existing ducting, and have run fibre to entrance to main property. 

However, speaking to BT they still say fibre for son's flat is a no go (although they would accept an order  for FTTP fibre into the adjacent flat).

I attach the bt wholesale address checker information (anonymised) for the two flats referred to above.

Is this a "computer says no" problem and needs human intervention to rectify or is there a logical reason for this?

Mike

[imjolly]

the dslchecker results are totally different if adjacent flats

is address register correctly on post office database?  if so then try FTTP TEAM 08005874787 and see if they can help

[Flambert]

Thanks for that reply.

I am told that he spoke to FTTP team with no success (first answer “cannot supply” & when that was challenged (based on the on-site info from Openreach), second answer “no space in cabinet” although space apparently available if order for adjacent flat).

I believe that he has reached out to Openreach directly, to see if they can advise/assist.

[imjolly]

The street cabinet is immaterial when it comes to FTTP availability

[Flambert]

Thanks for that information.

[Flambert]

 So, to me, that sounds like the BT advisor did not really engage in looking to clarify/resolve issue (taking all at face value) and that best hope lies in Openreach engaging and updating NAD to reflect what seems to be the situation on the ground? 

Would that seem to be a fair assessment? And is there anything else that can be done in the interim?

[-Richie-]

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@Flambertwrote:

 And is there anything else that can be done in the interim?

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Ask BT to raise an NGA (Next Generation Access) request which is a form ISP's can use to ask Openreach to check if fibre is available, results can take around 5-10 days, they can also correct any database issues if the eligibility checker is wrong.

You mention the flat has been converted, sometimes builders will convert larger houses into multiple flats but not register them right to save money, some should be listed as multi dwelling units as there is a limit on how many ONT's can be installed, this could be why 1 property can have FTTP and 1 can't.

[Flambert]

That is helpful and interesting.

AFAIK no flat actually has FTTP installed but perhaps (?) an ONT has been provisionally allocated to the adjacent flat, as it passes the address check, and no availability above/beyond this?

[iniltous]

The images posted for ‘My Flat’ show no FTTP availability , but the ‘Adjacent Flat’ does, are both flats addresses in the exact same format ( apart from the door number ) historically property’s converted into MDU’s can be tricky , as the way the address is shown on the postal address file needs to match Openreach records , there can be many variations , for example the address known as , ground floor flat , or flat no 1 , building name ,  or flat number 1 , street name ( no building name) ,etc , etc  , also ( as already stated ) has whoever developed the property registered the individual flats correctly with the appropriate body’s

…..for you to post the images from the checker , were you presented with all the flats in the development or did you have to manipulate what you entered to get a return from the checker ?

Do you know how these flats would be served ? , is there a pole outside with a CBT on it and the flats would be served from this pole …if it’s not overhead , then has any work been done internally to provide an internal CBT in a common area , and wayleaves already in place for cabling in the common areas of the building to the individual flats ?
MDU’s can be a pain if there are management company’s involved to grant permission , quite often they are omitted from an area that has FTTP available because of these issues.

[Flambert]

Openreach have now responded to say have looked into case and need to investigate further. They are awaiting a response from their Specialist team. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome.

To answer the question about the address lookup. If you enter the building’s  historical address, e.g. 10 Cuthbert Road (hypothetical) then the checker goes straight to what seems like identical results for “my flat”. If you put in the actual flat current address, say 10B Cuthbert Road, you get a list of addresses to choose from, based on the post code, including  10 Cuthbert Road, 10A Cuthbert Road, 10B Cuthbert Road……. 10E Cuthbert Road (covering all 5 flats in the original building). Only 10A (“adjacent flat”) gives the FTTP OK to install result. Flats B through to E all give a similar result to “my flat”, as far as I can see.

The fibre that has been run through to the entrance to the building, runs through existing ducting, which has also been confirmed to extend to my son’s flat by the Openreach engineer who was on site doing that work. There is access from a manhole in the courtyard and I presume this links through to the cabinet on the street outside the property or other network connection point. At the time, the engineer said that it would be “straightforward” to run fibre into my son’s flat from  the existing ducting as above.