Questions about Openreach engineer visit after shoddy satellite install lead to no broadband

[EverAndy]

So I had a satellite installer out to feed the an existing satellite cable through to the front room of the property. I was not home during his visit but my wife was, so she's relayed everything back to me. The satellite installer said he could use the existing hole - the same hole that feeds the fiber cable from outside into the front room of the house - to feed the satellite cable through too (which my wife assumed meant he would feed the sat cable through, leaving the fiber cable there too).

Anyway, long story short - the satellite installer completed his install of the sat cable but has snapped the fiber optic cable being fed from the white box outside and therefore left us with no Internet. We weren't aware until he'd gone and we've been unable to contact him since. 

I've spoken to BT customer service and explained whats happened, and they have kindly offered to send out an openreach engineer to repair this free of charge on Monday (which I was extremely happy about as I expected to be waiting a long time and to be paying a fee).

My question is; will openreach drill a new hole to feed the cable through, or will they install through the existing hole with the satelite or pull out the satellite cable that's been installed in the original hole and use that? Also, if they did drill a new hole will this incur a fee? 

Thanks in advance. 

[licquorice]

Nobody but the person that turns up on the day will know the answer to what he will do.

Drilling a hole won't incur a fee in itself.

[iniltous]

TBH , you are quite lucky in that this obvious damage is not going to incur a charge to repair it ( it’s the very definition of a chargeable repair ) but it beggars belief that the satellite installer was such an idiot to force a satellite cable through the same access hole and not simply provide one for their cable , something they must do on almost every installation they undertake.

As far as will Openreach drill a new hole , unless you want them to cut out and remove the satellite cable from the original hole ( and leave you to rearrange your satellite service to be installed correctly ) then a new access hole will be required.

[EverAndy · Accepted solution]

I've since spoken to BT again and they've confirmed the visit will be free regardless of any work that needs to be carried out to get me back online, and they've even left a note to the engineers to explain what the repair entails. The customer service I've received has been the best I've ever experienced. The person I spoke to said the above-and-beyond service I received was likely a result of my polite manner and patience, and the fact I was upfront about the situation. Pays to be kind - always thought that myself as someone who previously worked in customer service.

I was initially expecting to be paying a hefty call out charge with it not being a BT or Openreach fault, but the original person I spoke to was very nice about it all, told me it would be free of charge, and booked an engineer for the next working day. BT customer service has exceeded all my expectationss. Very happy with their handling of the situation. 

Had I been home, I'd have told him to drill a new hole, as this is what I was expecting to begin with. Will be more careful with who I chose to do work for me from now on, but I will always remember the customer service I've received today.