Tricky situation for my mum with BT full fibre

[petejacobs]

My mother is almost 80 and highly anxious. I've been helping her with her phone and broadband contract. 

She had a contract with BT which she was very happy with. Then it got to the point where the contract was running out so we renewed by choosing what appeared to be the same (or similar) package. Assuming we could just carry on with her existing set-up.

But what transpired is that she would be sent a new home hub and had to book for an engineer to come round. At no point was it explained why this was the case.

My mother lives on the first floor of a maisonette. Living below her is a very elderly and frail lady.

When the engineer arrived, he said that because of the height of her property, he would need to drill 5 holes in the outside wall of her downstairs neighbour's property (I believe to secure the ladder). This worried my mother immensely and she said he shouldn't do that. 

She says that the lady downstairs wouldn't really understand what's going on and understandably doesn't want to worry her. So I think the drilling is out of the question for the moment.

I phoned BT and it seems that the new contract was cancelled soon after she sent the engineer away. (Apparently BT are phasing our copper phone lines and need to install a fibre line to the building, again this wasn't explained.)

So she's in a situation where she's out of contract, spending £75 per month on phone and internet. She barely even uses the phone.  

So I'm wondering what her options are in this situation.

I was thinking she should go to a cable provider like Virgin for her broadband (assuming they can install without drilling into her neighbour's property) and just use BT for the phone on the current copper line – that would be significantly cheaper. I'm aware that copper lines are being phased out in 2027.

I'm not sure whether there's something else BT can do? I don't live near her so I am helping remotely. 

Any advice much appreciated!

Thank you

Pete

[licquorice]

Its not copper lines that are being phased out in 2027, it is just the analogue phone system.

There should be no reason she can't renew her contract and keep the copper line. She will be moved to Digital Voice, but that works just fine over copper as well as fibre.

Unfortunately, BT are pushing folks to move to fibre at renewal.

As far as drilling holes for the ladder, that will apply whoever provides service. Its an elfin safety thing.

[chrisjp]

"As far as drilling holes for the ladder, that will apply whoever provides service. Its an elfin safety thing."

I hadn't heard of this one and it surely is "elf & safety" taken to excess isn't it? While drilling the holes the ladder will not be secured anyway and this is likely to take longer than the actual work to install the fibre optic cable. So it seems more like a box-ticking exercise IMO.
I guess the old practice of having a second person to "foot" a ladder has been ditched to save staff costs and this absurd hole drilling is now the replacement.
I also suspect that if the lady in question is in a maisonette it's not within her power to give permission for someone to drill holes in a wall that is not part of her maisonnette.

[iniltous]

The holes are drilled before the ladder is put up against the wall , the ladder is secured to the fixings placed in the holes drilled into the wall to stop the ladder moving , this ‘Tetra’ system is used by Sky installers and probably other people that work from ladders 

[ArtyVark]

Yeah its required now and its why Domestic Window Cleaners cant use ladders so they use the long pole with hose type cleaner. Been like it for years.