Likelihood of Openreach DB error?

After months and months of waiting I can finally order FTTP, however I'm pretty sure that there is an error in Openreach's DB. According to the BT Wholesale checker our property is recorded as "Residential UG premises served by 1 Inch duct 100". The install status is showing as KCI2 Assure which I understand means an extra survey may be required when I place an order, I presume due to the duct size indicated above.

However we have an overhead feed which comes to the back of the house via an intermediate carrier pole in the adjoining woods, and at some point the previous owners (who built the house 20 years ago) had a second line installed via this connection as there was a double master socket on the wall in what's now my office. There's a really messy cable joint in the backbox and I replaced the socket with a blanking plate a while back as none of the cables were actually connected. I haven't touched any of this as the black dropwire is one of the cables, and due to the layout of the house it isn't really possible to try and trace the cable routes from here.

What are the chances of 1) there being a genuine error in Openreach's database, and 2) the probability that this will cause problems and delays when I do come to place an FTTP order?

With 30 million+ records and huge daily churn and change going on there’s always bound to be DB errors.

Whether there actually is 100 inches of 1-inch UG duct serving your property is only a matter that can be addressed by a survey, which will be triggered when you place an order.

So if you are happy to otherwise proceed, worry no further (for now) and get an order in. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks @Pheasant, I really hope it is an error because if the feed IS underground then it'll be coming up our drive which is ~50m long and completely brick-paved so digging up to replace ducting wouldn't be an option. I'm guessing in this case they would just use the overhead feed route for simplicity then disconnect and leave in place the underground copper?

Edited by t_r_davies (Mon 08-Nov-21 10:28:01)

If the copper drop is overhead, the likelyhood is that fibre will also be run overhead. OR will follow the path of least resistance 😎

Saying that there may be other factors only known / confirmed at time of survey - the fibre may not come from the same place as the overhead copper feed. Survey really really is your best bet. If there really is something difficult and they can’t absorb, or otherwise mitigate by routing the drop in a different way, then in very rare occasions they may go back to the CP and ask for excess construction costs. But this is very rare. The survey will reveal what’s what.

Edited by Pheasant (Mon 08-Nov-21 10:43:39)

The path of least resistance certainly sounds attractive to me. I've got some internal networking to do first but will take the plunge and place the FTTP order probably in the new year then cross my fingers and hope!

Thanks @Pheasant.

You should order it now as it'll take some time before the ball gets moving. I wouldn't risk not being able to order it...

t_r_davies

It may be that others off the same DP ( now CBT )are served UG and the records assumed that all the premises were the same. When you place an order the survey will pick up that and identify what is actually used.

Yours is likely to be an additional connection on the DP if only done 20 years ago, It is very likely that the records cover everybody on the DP as the same tech. Often records were not considered as important pre 2000s for individual premises as they were all paper and altering them when you were field based took too much time and effort. Now they are all electronic is it much easier and considered essential quality.