Getting a new pole installed

[RLC001]

Apologies if this is the wrong section. 

In my area houses get their non-virgin broadband via phone lines from poles (it's copper all the way, not even FTTC yet though that is apparently in the pipelines). My house is a semi detached corner house in such  an angle that the nearest pole to my house is "around the corner".

I am presently with Virgin as when I tried to switch over to Sky (who use BT lines) an open reach engineer came out and wanted to run a cable from the pole to my house cutting across the neighbours front window (across his front garden) - it would have been within a meter of the window (opening the window the neighbour would have been able to reach the line). Naturally, I asked the engineer to speak to my neighbour before doing that. 

The neighbour objected to this but said he'd be okay with a line being run along the underside of his soffits - the openreach engineer said he could not do it as the neighbours porch meant his ladder would not be stable. 

I suggested getting the line from a pole that is slightly further but opposite my house across the road - the engineer deemed that pole to be too far and would result in a lowly sagging line. 

It would seem to me that the easiest option would be to have a new pole installed outside my house (in my front garden if need be).

Sky couldn't help and at the time i was faced with the possibility of having no broadband unless I switched back to virgin (Sky had already requested the line transfer) so i switched back. 

Presently I am without a BT phone line and BT don't seem interested - any advice on who i can contact / via what channel to try and find a resolution to this? i really don't want to be limited to virgin as the only feasible broadband provider - I've tried mobile broadband but the speeds / reliability aren't good enough for my needs (looking at 1mbps average with frequent dropouts). 

I understand openreach do not deal with customers directly. 

again, apologies if this is the wrong forum - any suggestions from people who have been in similar situations / have industry knowledge would be hugely welcome. 

thanks. 

[gg30340]

Openreach do deal with customers it's just that you would not be their customer, it would be the phone/Internet company who is their customer.

As such the phone /Internet provider that you are hoping to transfer to are the only ones who can assist you. It would be up to them to contact Openreach if they think this is required in order to meet their potential customer's (your) needs in order to complete an instillation.

As you are not a BT customer or becoming one they will be unable to help you.

[Addy · Accepted solution]

If you apply for a line and broadband from BT (others exist) they will pass an order to Openreach to provide the copper line to your house. If when the engineer arrives it appears there is no way to fly the wire from the pole to your house the openreach engineer to pass the activity back to be surveyed. The surveyor would decide the best method which might be a new pole, underground duct or attach to a third party property after obtaining a written wayleave agreement.

This is only done after an order is placed with a provider not before. Whoever you place an order with explain that a survey would be required to provide the line. Good luck.

[iniltous]

As already advised, you are not using BT, so posting on a BT forum isn’t appropriate, Openreach deal with providers like BT and your preferred provider Sky in exactly the same way, in other words it’s Sky that need to advise you what is happening but as your order has been cancelled by Sky , OR won’t currently be doing anything regards this.
Generally if an install fails , OR explore how to resolve whatever issue stopped the install proceeding, but if your provider decide it’s not worth the hassle and advise that anything that’s not straightforward has to be cancelled, then there isn’t much you can do about that.

[RLC001]

Thank you Addy. 

Sounds like the engineer should have told Sky the installation required a surveyor / I should have called Sky up and explained that to them. I shall try that when I come to the end of my contract. 

Thanks again for the clear and concise reply. Most appreciated. 

[RLC001]

iniltous, i hope no one ever finds themselves on the streets asking you for directions - sounds like you'd tell them asking you is inappropriate.

Given my situation was i had no idea who to ask and the best guess I had was openreach and BT are somehow involved, I'd have thought it was quite appropriate - even if the answer on the forum was that actually the issue is with a third party.

Perhaps there was something lost in translation but forums tend to be areas of discussion especially for people looking for answers. if i had all the answers i don't think i'd have found myself posting here to begin with.

[RLC001]

gg30340 thanks but as i had mentioned in my post, the internet provider seemed unable to help in my situation thus i found myself on this site trying to figure out what someone in my situation should be looking to do. That said, I've been given the answer by Addy and have marked their answer as the best solution.