How does a homeowner know when FTTP is to be installed.

About three weeks ago a planner from Openreach knocked on the door to check the underground broadband cables and ducts in all of the front gardens in the area and he said that FTTP is scheduled to be installed here the next two to three weeks. - That was three weeks ago so it is still probably on schedule.

In our areas most homeowners, including myself, have small BT broadband underground duct chamber access lids at the edge of our front gardens and apparently the underground duct that arrives in my garden is clear which means that we are OK to get FTTP but the duct that passes through my front garden to my next door neighbour's front garden and beyond has a partial blockage. - This means that I could still get FTTP but without my permission to dig a hole in my front garden my neighbours and those further down the road would not be able to get FTTP so to enable my neighbours to receive FTTP I did agree that a hole could be dug in my front lawn to repair the duct. - I completed the "Permission to carry out work on private property form" on the basis that only one hole would be excavated and that the hole would be filled in and grassed just after the duct was repaired.

That was three weeks ago and we have heard no more.

We did tick the box to be present when the work is carries out. - A question is: Do Openreached send out advisory cards to all residents scheduled to get FTTP about a week or so before they start work in the area or do they just turn up, run wires through the ducts and fit boxes on the house walls ?

When we check the Openreach checker for full FTTP in our address it says; "Faster and more reliable fibre is coming to your area soon".

How can we know in advance exactly when it is scheduled to arrive here?

Fido

It's only because you have ducting running through your garden that feeds properties further up the street that OpenReach have even chapped your door.
For the vast majority of homes the only time they contact the home owner or tenant is when an ordered service is being installed.

A question is: Do Openreached send out advisory cards to all residents scheduled to get FTTP about a week or so before they start work in the area or do they just turn up, run wires through the ducts and fit boxes on the house walls ?

Nobody gets anything from OpenReach at any point unless they need to work on your private land.
They don't even inform you it is live to order unless you are signed up to receive updates on their website.

OpenReach only install fibre as far as the property boundary, like a telegraph pole or chamber in street.
They only install the final piece of fibre to the home after a FTTP service is ordered.

From OpenReach installing the fibre in the ducts it can be a few weeks to a few months until you can order.
It needs tests, an audit, and connecting up at the exchange.
It then takes a little bit time for databases to update to show ISP's it is live to order.

You're looking at at least a month and probably a few months until you can order if they still haven't run fibre through the ducts to the CBT's.

Unfortunately there's nowhere that gives progress/build updates.
The only thing you can do is ask any engineer you see how it's going and keep checking OpenReach.com

Edited by j0hn83 (Sun 19-Jul-20 01:37:54)

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

It's only because you have ducting running through your garden that feeds properties further up the street that OpenReach have even chapped your door.

Sorry John, I don't believe this is 100% accurate, I know on at least two occasions when Openreach fttp planners/surveyors have been knocking on doors, admittedly not in urban areas but on both occasions it hasn't been caused by either ducting or poles crossing someone's lane to get to another property.

In reply to a post by dect:

I know on at least two occasions when Openreach fttp planners/surveyors have been knocking on doors, admittedly not in urban areas but on both occasions it hasn't been caused by either ducting or poles crossing someone's lane to get to another property.

You say why they didn't chap their doors but not why they did?

What possible reason would OpenReach have to approach residents if not because they need access to their property.

In reply to a post by dect:

Sorry John, I don't believe this is 100% accurate.

Happy with how I worded it and that it's correct.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

For the vast majority of homes the only time they contact the home owner or tenant is when an ordered service is being installed.

Unnecessary pedantry. The general point is correct.

Edited by j0hn83 (Sun 19-Jul-20 09:43:19)

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

In reply to a post by dect:

I know on at least two occasions when Openreach fttp planners/surveyors have been knocking on doors, admittedly not in urban areas but on both occasions it hasn't been caused by either ducting or poles crossing someone's lane to get to another property.

You say why they didn't chap their doors but not why they did?

What possible reason would OpenReach have to approach residents if not because they need access to their property.

The reason they knocked on those specific doors was to discuss infrastructure provision (to the CBT) that will serve those properties (a good 15 minutes at each door), I said it wasn't urban so you can take from that they were rural.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

In reply to a post by dect:

Sorry John, I don't believe this is 100% accurate.

Happy with how I worded it and that it's correct.

There was me trying to take the softly softly approach as I know you don't like being corrected.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

For the vast majority of homes the only time they contact the home owner or tenant is when an ordered service is being installed.

Unnecessary pedantry. The general point is correct.

Correcting your mistakes isn't pedantry.

I'm confident that for the vast majority of homes OpenReach don't chap the door of every resident they are rolling out fibre to "to discuss infrastructure provision for 15 minutes at each and every door".

That absolutely doesn't happen.

Get a grip.

Two scenarios where this does happen...

1. Wayleave permission for access to duct/pole that serves other people
2. Some of the FTTP roll-out has teams working on behalf of Openreach who do a quick ask permission canvas and then come back later and install the blue draw ropes for the final pull of fttp over households land. This happens even if the household does not want to order, advantage is duct is proved clear and when someone does order the installer can get it done quickly.

I covered 1.

As for 2... is that BDUK or Fibre First work. I haven't come across that on either.
and what's meant by

has teams working on behalf of Openreach

Is it OpenReach or isn't it?

Edited by j0hn83 (Sun 19-Jul-20 16:24:17)

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

I'm confident that for the vast majority of homes OpenReach don't chap the door of every resident they are rolling out fibre to "to discuss infrastructure provision for 15 minutes at each and every door".

That absolutely doesn't happen.

Get a grip.

You seem to have moved the goalposts John as I questioned the accuracy of your statement below not the statement above.

In reply to a post by dect:

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

It's only because you have ducting running through your garden that feeds properties further up the street that OpenReach have even chapped your door.

Sorry John, I don't believe this is 100% accurate, I know on at least two occasions when Openreach fttp planners/surveyors have been knocking on doors, admittedly not in urban areas but on both occasions it hasn't been caused by either ducting or poles crossing someone's lane to get to another property.

Regarding the get a grip statement you made it seems you have proved my point about not liking being challenged about inaccurate statements, thats fine I won't in the future as it really isn't worth the hassle.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

2. Some of the FTTP roll-out has teams working on behalf of Openreach who do a quick ask permission canvas and then come back later and install the blue draw ropes for the final pull of fttp over households land. This happens even if the household does not want to order, advantage is duct is proved clear and when someone does order the installer can get it done quickly.

I also recall someone posting on this forum that they and their neighbours had a flyer put through their door notifying them that Openreach would be checking their duct (between road and property) to ensure it was clear for future fttp.

It does seem there is not always 100% consistency across the UK with these processes, this maybe related to the different contractors Openreach use to do the work in the various regions.