How long is a piece of string?

Or more exactly, how long does it take to get a BT Business FTTP line installed?

Well in my case (so far) 4 months and counting. Last update from OR...

A new A55 (engineer's diagram) is required in order to complete the incremental build task. The previous build task could not be completed by the contractors due insufficient information in the original A55. A new estimate is now required and this order has been referred to our planning team for review.

We have been advised that our planning team are still reviewing this matter therefore we will need to allow some additional time for further updates to be provided.

Next review will be set for (03/11/26)."

that followed

"This order is awaiting completion of Incremental Build estimate (WH4CV22D) which is currently in progress. We previously escalated this with the relevant team who advised an engineer would be attending on (24/09/26) to investigate the delay and provide a new A55 (engineer's diagram).
I am unable to see if an engineer visit took place on the given date therefore I have escalated this with the relevant team today for an urgent update.
Next review will be set for (06/10/26)."

And that was after

What has happened- A civils estimate, WH6JM70N, has been raised with an expected start date of 08/10/2026. The civils team is currently awaiting the necessary permissions and approvals from the utility companies in the area before the work can proceed.

What have you done- I have checked the latest update and can see that the job is currently in the noticing stage. The case is awaiting the relevant traffic management permit to be raised and approved before the civils work can be scheduled.

What happens next? ? Once the required traffic management permit has been approved, the civils team will be able to progress the estimate and schedule the work. If there are no further updates, I will raise an escalation with our partner contractor to request an update on the permit status and the planned works.

When will the cp/cx hear from you again? ? I will review the order on 07/09/2026 and to check engineer’s task is active

Sigh... The job started on 10th June this year(!) and yes, it isn't enirely straight forward so some delay is expected. There is an existing leased line fibre duct to the premises (to the same location as the new install) so that should help (or would it?) - it might have two fibres in it but possibly just 1 (depends if they changed the fibre when they upgraded it from 100Mbps to 1Gbps the other year and no, I can't just piggyback on that for voice becasue reasons; there is ample bandwidth but its not 'my' fibre)

The end of January is rapidly approaching (at least in OR planning terms) so I do hope they extract a digit from whatever warm place it is currently resting and get on with the job!

I guess it will happen eventually

Hmmmm yeah not surprising.

If you wanted a DIA/Leased connection it would have been delivered twice over in that same timescale - but its a different class and price of product. Run by a different part of the business, with vastly differnt imperatives.

FTTP can still be slow to install unfortunately. A long time ago now, back in the FTTPoD days some of us on here waiting for over a year for our connections to be installed. Paying significant sums of money didn't really have a bearing on installation timelines. Then or now.

Sorry.

Traffic management for provision work rather than repair can require three months notice.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Hmmmm yeah not surprising.

If you wanted a DIA/Leased connection it would have been delivered twice over in that same timescale - but its a different class and price of product. Run by a different part of the business, with vastly differnt imperatives.

FTTP can still be slow to install unfortunately. A long time ago now, back in the FTTPoD days some of us on here waiting for over a year for our connections to be installed. Paying significant sums of money didn't really have a bearing on installation timelines. Then or now.

Sorry.

You forgot the probable loss of hair/sleepless nights/"why in flipping strawberries did i sign up to this" 😂.

Admitedly I didn't even get a desk quote - well i did but it was blank for the cost lol

I do appreciate that things are never as simple as they appear at the surface.

I won't be surprised if they don't end up sharing a duct - I imagine the leased line chaps don't want FTTP chaps anywhere near their ducts for obvious reasons.

I am resigned to it happening when it happens - I can't get too aerated unless it isn't done before the end of January when our VoIP phone system will go dead in the big switch off....

In reply to a post by Sponge35:

I can't get too aerated unless it isn't done before the end of January when our VoIP phone system will go dead in the big switch off....

It's the PSTN that's getting switched off then. Your VoIP should be fine.

The string just got longer...

Hey ho. OR FTTP guys turned up to install "ooo... is it a business or domestic install? Business? nope, not us - we just do houses and flats. Got to contact the supervisor to see what we can do, but its probably got to be handed over to the ethernet guys" several txt messages later and yes indeed, it will be handed over to the "ethernet guys" whoever they may be!

One factor contributing to the rather long lead time for the job is that, for some reason, the OR job tickets don't have the proper address so the previous engineers had been visiting the leisure centre next door which shares the same postcode and street address... the hint is in the name though; I work at a school not a leisure centre. These chaps asked for me by name at the leisure centre and, when faced with blank stares, did what any sane person would and phoned the contact number on the ticket....

More coffee required whilst OR/Our Supplier sort out who, in OR, are actually going to provision the line!