Yes, don't get me wrong, I think your particular situation is a bit ridiculous (or rather, how it has been handled). It's not acceptable that BT apparently can't access one of their own PCPs, for several reasons. I'd be fuming too. If it's the case that "access" means they can't dig trenches and lay ducts then they surely can't have come up against much more red tape than usual, they always have to inform someone of their plans, and I think it was established a while ago that BT won't be deterred by a spanner in the works on the first try; they'll usually re-apply very soon, with alternate plans. Even if "access" in this case does refer to digging trenches, etc. then they should have had a key for standard access to the PCP, which they are saying they haven't. So there's misinformation there somewhere which BT/OR should sort out.

I should have made it clear that my post wasn't directed towards you - it just seems that a lot of people with no such issues must have complained that BT "estimated" their ordinary PCP would have a fibre twin by a certain time, but because of whatever issues, it hasn't happened. I'm not sure that many people have become aware of FTTC coming to their area, used the BT checker, seen a placeholder of 3 months ahead and had their cabinet go live around about then. If anything, I think the complaints should have simply forced BT to make it clear that it's a placeholder date, and they should indeed provide what non-confusing/seemingly nonsensical information about exchanges and cabinets they can. To be fair, they have started doing the latter. Unfortunately in your case, it's resulted in BT apparently saying that they haven't got the resources to open a gate to access their own PCP.

You could write to the local press and say that for anyone connected to that cabinet, who hasn't got, or can't use, a mobile (the elderly or children, perhaps...) then a fault which requires OR to access the PCP to correct would render them unable to dial 999 in an emergency. It's a bit of a hyperbolic route to take, but if all else has failed... and if BT/OR really can't access that PCP, or at least they currently don't think they can, it's a true scenario. Even if it turns out that BT have to publicly explain that they can access the PCP "normally", then at least that'll be that cleared up and you can get back to them with their previous emails to you, and so obviously their own public admission means that the information they gave you was wrong. Again, possibly a bit extreme, just thinking aloud.

Edited by deleted (Wed 06-Mar-13 03:01:02)

I think the other issue with that PCP, als is refering to, is that it has ended up on private land due to the local council failure to properly survey the area before "selling" it on for redevelopment. So now other permissions are required to do any digging near it, although Openreach decided to use the "no access" excuse.