Openreach Full Fibre Installation

[Joshields17]

Do openreach always offer free installation for full fibre broadband if it is available in the location of the property?

The reason I ask is I have moved into a new build which has a copper cable already installed (and apparently it can't be replaced directly). Openreach can install a new full fibre cable in but it will cost £6200 (of which BT will pay £3400) leaving us to pay £2800.

This seems unreasonably high and Openreach on their website seem to suggest they do offer a free installation?

We also were initially told by an openreach engineer that they could do an overhead connection. But according to BT subsequently another engineer came and this isn't an option (no specific reason was given)

Frustratingly hard to get in contact with openreach engineers. You cannot call openreach and just have to use BT as a middle man. Several times I have arranged to work from home (tethering before you ask) in order to meet an engineer, but they did not come.

I'll stop short of a full rant, but we have moved into our house 5 months ago and this still isn't resolved. 

[iniltous]

What type of full fibre are you referring to ?, a property either has access to native FTTP or doesn’t , often people are mistaken when they see that FTTPod is available, this is a bespoke FTTP installation and is much more expensive as the fibre network is built ( where none currently exists ) from the aggregation node to the customer property .

Post the results from this checker for your phone number ( if you are currently a BT customer with a non DV phone service) or use your address if not a BT customer 

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

There are occasionally situations where native FTTP is available, but an individual property is a long way from the FTTP network that the property is designed to ,an example could be a village where the majority of the properties are on the main road and the FTTP equipment is on a pole on the Main Street , most properties can get FTTP at a standard installation fee , but there is a detached property accessed from a 1/4 mile individual, private driveway, the existing copper cable was buried direct in the ground ( not ducted ) , in a case like this , although FTTP is shown as available, there is considerable expense to provide that remote property with FTTP , ( it would need 7-8 poles , or a trench excavating and ducting / joint boxes installed )  in those cases the property owner will be expected to contribute to the extensive civils costs of the install .

As far as new build , new build developments of 2 or more property can get FTTP and it’s been this way for a few years , if your new build has a copper pair service then it’s either not that new ( more than 3 years old ) or it’s a single property, or the developer never contacted Openreach during the pre build stage.

Finally , you don’t have to use BT , Openreach and BT are not interchangeable, if you think you would have a better chance of getting FTTP , use someone other than BT , BT get no preferential treatment from OR , all providers have equal access to OR products.

Hopefully you are not under the misapprehension that to convert to FTTP all that is needed is to change a copper cable for an optical one , there is much more to it than that.

[Joshields17]

This is the response from the address checker

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Feed Not Evaluated.

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.

As a fibre priority exchange, FTTP has priority over other products if available at the address

WLR is currently available at the exchange

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

This site is in an FTTP priority area where FTTP is available but exceptionally SOGEA will also show as available to order but only at Non-Standard Premises (NSP) such as Hot site, Uninhabitable and Temporary locations. Migrations of WLR Solus (voice-only lines) is also allowed but only for SOGEA 0.5Mbps bandwidths.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values

• If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

Mildenhall exchange:Only single order products are available and ADSL and ADSL2+ products are not shown as available.However for premises that can only be served by SOADSL, BT will continue to accept ADSL and ADSL2+ orders until SOADSL is available.

Thank you for your interest

[licquorice]

Where did you get those costings from? According to the checker, FTTP is available to you so should be no charge.

[Joshields17]

We have been quoted this price several times by BT.

FTTP is available, however openreach cannot replace the current copper wire with the fibre optic due to an issue with the ducting.

So they have said that to dig a new trench and add ducting will cost £6.2k.

The one time we managed to talk to an openreach engineer in person they mentioned it was possible to have ut installed overhead into a different room.

Any call I have had since we have been told this isn't possible.

[licquorice]

That seems very strange, any issues with ducting are normally resolved as part of the install. Did they specify exactly what the problem was?

Try calling the FTTP team and see if they are more forthcoming 0800 587 4787
That number diverts to the normal help desk when busy, if it does just hang up and call again later.

[Joshields17]

From my understanding the ducting for the copper cable in the new build is under too much pressure from the concrete above. So it is essentially stuck and cannot be replaced.

[iniltous]

There are a few questions you haven’t really answered, and you have  referred to ‘new build’ a few times , is this what Openreach would recognise as new build property , so a newly built property , on a development of similar properties built by the likes of Persimmon , or is it a one off type build on a vacant plot , or a new build replacing a demolished property ?

Why , if a new build ‘estate’ would there even be the possibility of an alternative overhead option , why would any developer installed , relatively recently laid duct  not  be serviceable, and if it were not serviceable then given OR have the ‘right’ to access their duct in the adopted road or footpath , why would that be causing any real issue , I suspect there is more to your particular situation than is currently known ( by the forum members ) 

Can you give a fuller description of the type of property, where it’s situated , and a fuller description of the supposed problems, as what you state seems out of the ordinary on a new build property that Openreach were involved with the supply of the copper pair service to ,

[Joshields17]

I guess it is a one off type build on a vacant plot.

The house is a semidetached house built in the last 2 years (we are the first occupiers). Previously there were garages which have been knocked down for the build. It is located on a street parallel to a main road and the house is around 5-10m away from the middle of the street.

The builders of our house have argued that it is serviceable as the copper wire is available for setup. As copper is being phased out this is not what we want.

I'm not an expert in the individual details of this, so apologies if I haven't provided the full picture. However from what I have read I don't think we should be charged £2.8k to get the fibre set up to a house in a built up residential area which has access to FTTP?

The response I have received back from multiple calls with BT is that I have to pay. I called again this morning and believe it has been escalated with Openreach.

[imjolly]

@Joshields17 

as this is new build on a plot that used to be garages have you just recently moved in?  is your address correct on the royal mail database.  it's as if you are being classified commercial and not residential