No Distribution Point

[icer]

Good morning,

3 months ago I moved into a new build property of flats. Following a 2 month stint of waiting for Virgin to tell me my property is unservicable, I got in touch with BT at the start of November to get copper broadband installed. As a new build property, is it my understanding that the line has not been activated yet so I was advised to go for this copper package.

Since requesting that installation, I have had two Openreach engineers come round to install services. Both times that they have come, they ultimately have told me that there is no Distribution Point and that would be needed to carry out the works. I have spoken to my maintenence who have no idea about the box and my property manager who insists someone else in the property has BT broadband. 

I'm not sure what to do or how to proceed. I have contacted my lettings agency who have told me internet is wholly my responsibility. Contrasting that, the engineers who have visited me have let me know that responsibility lies with the landlord. My lettings agency have told me that they won't correspond on internet with my anymore, as they believe I should be making my own arrangements.

My flat does have a box inside the property for a connection. The cables I believe go out to the corridor and I can see a few dangling in the cupboard.

These are the cables the engineers have suggested should be connected to the Distribution Point. However the first engineer was unable to find which cable runs to my flat and I don't think the second engineer done that enquiry.

Is it possible that the Distribution Point may be somewhere else? If those are the cables, how would I go about installing a Distribution Point? As my lettings agency is not talking to me about internet, I'm not sure whether any works can even go ahead. They sent me an aggressive email when I suggested the landlord had not installed a Distribution Point.

Any help or information at all would be appreciated. I have been trying to get broadband services installed for a little over 3 months now with no success. As a student I need access to the internet for my studies and life generally. Thanks!

[Keith_Beddoe]

@icer 

Do you have an active order with BT Retail, and are awaiting an update from BT Retail?

If not, then this forum would not be able to help. It looks like the developer never finished the work, or did not contact  Openreach at the start.

Do not post any order numbers here.

[icer]

@Keith_Beddoe 

Hi Keith, thanks for the reply. Yes I have had an active order since 3rd November (I think). I am not sure on what I am waiting on now. An engineer that was meant to come yesterday did not come, so BT have told me they would update me today on what happened with that engineer

[Keith_Beddoe]

@icer 

There is not much you can do at this stage, as it appears that the internal wiring is incomplete. This would be down to Openreach to sort out, but it should have been sorted before you moved in. I guess the landlord just wanted to rent the flat as soon as possible.

If you have 4G mobile broadband coverage, then BT may be able to assist with something.

Did BT give you an activation date when you placed your order?

[icer]

@Keith_Beddoe 

I have a contract start date they gave me.

I also have looked into a 4g connection but it's not ideal. I am finding that whenever I use a 4g connection speeds vary greatly per second and that I'm unable to upload and download anything at all at the same time. I thought a wired connection would solve some of these issues

[licquorice]

Its entirely up to the property developer to liaise with Openreach during construction.

You can't install a distribution point that is the responsibility of Openreach, it is where the Openreach external cable terminates. If there is no distribution point,there is no external cable to the property.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@icer 

As your service has not been provided on time, you should get some compensation.

[Starwire]

In that cupboard can you take a picture of the floor for me please, all of it.

I want to see if any BT Approved Duct 54 or 56 exists in there.

[iniltous]

It’s not that unusual for a developer to make a conscious decision to exclude Openreach as the building is being constructed, deciding to sign up with an alternative network provider , thereby limiting the choice of ISP’s to the occupants of the buildings/apartments to that AltNet, ..it’s possible the developer locked out Openreach but the ‘Alt net’ then let the developer down ,  although you state that someone supposedly already has a ‘BT’ connection which if true , suggests this cannot be the case. 
If there is an Openreach branded phone socket in your flat ,  it begs the question , why, if the developer engaged with OR , didn’t they go for FTTP option as it’s zero cost to the developer instead of a copper pair service.  If the developer ran an OR type internal cable from the socket to a common area ( like a utility cupboard ) where are those cables , I’m not an expert but the grey cables in your photo don’t look like internal phone cables, and as already stated there would need to be a method ( usually a grey OR duct ) running to the outside of the building where a cable can be pulled in from outside, and connected to the external network , this cable terminating on an internal ‘DP’ (distribution point).
You probably need to have a discussion with the developer ( if still around ) or the management to see what provision was actually made ….if they insist that everything is in place , then you probably need to make sure that the building manager is available the next time the OR installer turns up, to show the OR person where the DP is, if there genuinely isn’t an OR DP, it suggests they never contacted OR to arrange connection to the OR network.