Email from BT OpenReach

I received this email from BTO a few days ago. I don't know where they got the idea that I told them I was interested in BT) fibre as I've been connected to the City Fibre network for nearly two years.

You let us know you're interested in ultrafast Full Fibre, and we wanted to touch base with an update.­
We've added.[My address] to our build plans.

We're rolling out Full Fibre to 25 million people across the UK - it's a huge, complex project and we're still planning when we can start to build in your area.
We'll keep you updated as we progress and let you know as soon as we can give you a delivery date
Don't forget, with Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband you'll get:
Download speeds of up to 1000Mbps - that's ten times faster than the UK Average
Upload speeds of up to 220Mbps perfect for gaming, video calling and uploading large files
An unbroken full fibre connection -- that's five times more reliable than anything before
A connection that can handle multiple devices at once - whether you're gaming, binge
watching, or surfing
The option to include a digital phone line and get ahead of the digital phone line upgrade
No more buffering streams or snail-paced downloads- just broadband that really is ready for anything.
Did you know?
You might not need to wait for the end of your existing contract before you can upgrade to Ultrafast Full Fibre - speak to your current service provider and they'll guide you through the process.
We're upgrading the UK's phone network, from copper lines to a digital phone line service.
Most people who use a phone line will need to have switched to digital by 2025.
When you order Ultrafast Full Fibre, you can have your digital phone line set up at the same time. Find out more about the upgrade from analogue to digital phone lines.
Once you've placed an order with your service provider of choice, we'll send an engineer to connect your Ultrafast Full Fibre - and it's a one-off installation. They may need to drill a small hole in your wall, or they may be able to use the same access point as your current line. Either way, they'll take care of everything and leave you with a broadband that's ready to deal with anything the future brings. You can find out more about what's involved in our handy video
Thanks,
Sam
Openreach Broadband Advisor

And ??

They’ve spent a lot on rolling this out … they sent a flyer to an area they have enabled, trying to recoup some costs.

They don’t know your existing situation …. you are drifting into a Zyborg type paranoia

Either you or someone acting as you has at one time or another gone on the Openreach website and filled in your personal details as how otherwise would they know both your property address and your email address details? Its unlikely they took a stab at both and got them both right.

Agreed. It’s illegal to send marketing emails to people who have had no contact with your company. That doesn’t bother back-street scammers, but a reputable company such as OpenReach wouldn’t risk it.

It’s not difficult to give your details on a web site and then forget a few months, or years, later that you have done so.

And don't forget that Openreach have no way of knowing that you have an active Cityfibre connection - you could be on a dodgy 4G/5G connection for all they know.

Therefore, if they have a record of you making an enquiry at some point in the past, as far as they know you're still interested.

It's just one E-mail, and life is short. If it really bugs you then you can contact them to be removed from their list of interested parties, but IMO it's much easier just to hit the Delete key.

I reckon consider yourself privileged. I registered interest more than 3 years ago, and have never heard a thing.

I agree with PCJM40 on that you must have registered on their site at some point and forgotten about it. I have not had anything from openreach, not even a leaflet.
even leaflets from other providers have slowed down, but they may come back again now this Christmas thing is done.

And even if someone is with another provider via CityFibre they might want to return to BT once full fibre is available.

Some strange comments on this. I wasn't complaining, although I 'haven't' registered to receive information from BTO, not having any reason to do so, but I thought it might be possible that there would be some interest in what BTO was saying about Fibre broadband.

In reply to a post by ParksidePeter:

Some strange comments on this. I wasn't complaining, although I 'haven't' registered to receive information from BTO

More worrying that you can't remember filling in the online Openreach form with your details.

In reply to a post by ParksidePeter:

Some strange comments on this. I wasn't complaining, although I 'haven't' registered to receive information from BTO, not having any reason to do so, but I thought it might be possible that there would be some interest in what BTO was saying about Fibre broadband.

What comment is strange?

Perhaps you haven't, but someone has 100% enquired on the Openreach fibre checker site with your exact address and email address.
That email is the generic response they send to users who made such an enquiry upon their address being added to their build plans.

Openreach would have no other way to have your details. They also don't send unsolicited emails.

The email is just standard sales talk which we've all heard before far too many times.

The OP , incorrectly calls Openreach , BT Openreach, when there is no such organisation , and asks why Openreach would think they were interested in ‘BT’ , but the email Openreach sent definitely doesn’t encourage the use of any one particular ISP over another .
Its certain that someone must have entered the OP email details at some point , if the email is unwanted just delete it , before doing that , it may even have a way to be removed from any future email communication…the OP states they are not complaining about receiving this email but in that case what was the point of posting ? It’s hardly surprising that OR send emails to those that have registered an interest ( even if that individual doesn’t recall doing it , or someone else entered their details ) when OR have some information to impart, sending an email about it to those that asked to be kept apprised seems unremarkable

Edited by Iniltous (Mon 08-Jan-24 13:27:52)

In reply to a post by Iniltous:

The OP , incorrectly calls Openreach , BT Openreach, when there is no such organisation , and asks why Openreach would think they were interested in ‘BT’ , but the email Openreach sent definitely doesn’t encourage the use of any one particular ISP over another .
Its certain that someone must have entered the OP email details at some point , if the email is unwanted just delete it , before doing that , it may even have a way to be removed from any future email communication…the OP states they are not complaining about receiving this email but in that case what was the point of posting ? It’s hardly surprising that OR send emails to those that have registered an interest ( even if that individual doesn’t recall doing it , or someone else entered their details ) when OR have some information to impart, sending an email about it to those that asked to be kept apprised seems unremarkable

Openreach belongs to BT, so it is BT openreach, just because they took BT off the name to try and foll people into thinking that BT don't control it, don't make it not BT openreach. It all belongs to BT group.


Yes, I do agree that someone must have registered to receive emails at some point, as I doubt BT/openreach would take the risk of spamming people .

Do you call them VW Skoda then ?

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=do+volkswagen+own+...

If you bought something from Screwfix , and someone asked where you got it , would you say B&Q or perhaps Kingfisher after all aren’t they all the same ?,
AFAIR, weren’t you once a Plusnet customer , did you refer them as BT Plusnet , or just Plusnet , your somewhat irrational distaste for all things BT presumably lessened to the extent that you could use PN without feeling dirty by holding onto the fact that PN are operationally separate, much like Openreach in fact ,

Edited by Iniltous (Mon 08-Jan-24 17:35:25)

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

Openreach belongs to BT, so it is BT openreach, just because they took BT off the name to try and foll people into thinking that BT don't control it, don't make it not BT openreach. It all belongs to BT group.

The company has always been OPENREACH - since 2017

BT Openreach was a different company, now dissolved, and was not connected with BT plc.

Well said.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Do you call them VW Skoda then ?

I don't care who is in control of whom, but to be fair while Openreach is a separate company, BT PLC are in control of it (please read on) shown below.

When I say controlled by I am referring to they have significant control over it by the Nature of Control (shown below), you can find all this information on Companies House - GOV.UK.

Nature of control

• Ownership of shares – 75% or more
• Ownership of voting rights - 75% or more
• Right to appoint and remove directors

Who controls whom (by Nature of control)

• Openreach Limited (10690039) is controlled by British Telecommunications Plc (1800000)
• British Telecommunications Plc (1800000) is controlled by Bt Group Investments Limited (04278695)
• Bt Group Investments Limited (04278695) is controlled by Bt Group Plc (04190816)

I may or may not of forgotten some, so don't bite my head off

So depending on how you look at it, BT as in British Telecommunications Plc (1800000) are in control of Openreach Limited (10690039) due to the Nature of control listed above, but as far as I can see is that Bt Group Plc (04190816) is the most parent company in control that I could look up.

Also fun fact: Bt Group Plc (04190816) used to be called "NEWGATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED" back on 30th March 2001 - 11th September 2001.
I never knew that.

Also they are now all located in the same building: 1 Braham Street London E1 8EE as from 1st Jan 2022.

---
Paul

In reply to a post by MHC:

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

Openreach belongs to BT, so it is BT openreach, just because they took BT off the name to try and foll people into thinking that BT don't control it, don't make it not BT openreach. It all belongs to BT group.

The company has always been OPENREACH - since 2017

BT Openreach was a different company, now dissolved, and was not connected with BT plc.

This I can agree with 100%.
BUT even though they are all separate companies there is the Nature of control (shares and voting rights) to consider too which British Telecommunications Plc owned 75%+ of both.

I showed more on this in my other post, but they are all completely separate.

---
Paul

Does anyone call Screwfix , Kingfisher Screwfix , or B&Q , Kingfisher B&Q ?, the ownership of Openreach is not in question , but it’s a fact is there is no BT Openreach .

I find it interesting that BT say they offer uploads of up to 220mbits and how
this is perfect for gaming when their domestic products only allow up to 110mbits
Do they think people in businesses game?

In reply to a post by Iniltous:

Does anyone call Screwfix , Kingfisher Screwfix , or B&Q , Kingfisher B&Q ?, the ownership of Openreach is not in question , but it’s a fact is there is no BT Openreach .

Different thing, Bt took the BT name of Openreach, so people would not think they still belong to BT,

In reply to a post by Iniltous:

If you bought something from Screwfix , and someone asked where you got it , would you say B&Q or perhaps Kingfisher after all aren’t they all the same ?,
AFAIR, weren’t you once a Plusnet customer , did you refer them as BT Plusnet , or just Plusnet , your somewhat irrational distaste for all things BT presumably lessened to the extent that you could use PN without feeling dirty by holding onto the fact that PN are operationally separate, much like Openreach in fact ,

i used plusnet because they were the only provider that could get me broadband quickly at the time, it certainly was not the first choice and the reason i stayed with them was mainly laziness and they did offer a service that was ok.

It did not really matter where I went, they all used Openreach network, so all linked to BT in some way, the problem with broadband in the U.K is that it is all large companies, apart from the odd one and sadly the prices for them is over the top.

Do I feel dirty from using plusnet? no. there are a few companies around that I prefer not to use, but sadly I have little choice. one way or another. British gas owns the gas network and yet it don't matter what provider I go for, I still have to use British gas network

As for BT and openreach being separate, they are both owned by BT group, so are the same company, no matter how much they try to fool people.

In reply to a post by PaulKirby:

I don't care who is in control of whom, but to be fair while Openreach is a separate company, BT PLC are in control of it (please read on) shown below.

Good list of the legals. You don't mention the undertakings agreed with Ofcom (the regulator) that required BT Group to "structurally separate" the Openreach organisation. The understanding is that BT Group were not required to divest Openreach as the income from the network division is/was required to fill holes in the pension fund (that some could say was related to political interference decades ago).

Yes, its more complex then the legal ownerships.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

Different thing, Bt took the BT name of Openreach, so people would not think they still belong to BT,

No they didn't.
BT did what they did with Openreach because OFCOM mandated they do.

https://www.openreach.com/news-and-opinion/2020/Supe...

The big re-brand challenge

For the last two years, we’ve removed thousands of BT logos from our vehicles, uniforms and buildings, and we’ve brought the new independent Openreach brand to life.

As part of our commitments to Ofcom, we promised to do this within three years, but we’ve done it one year early, updating 27,907 vehicles, 42 offices, 33,479 pass cards and 1,531 web pages in the process.

Edited by j0hn83 (Tue 23-Jan-24 13:46:50)

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Do you call them VW Skoda then ?

VAG, every time. They don't like it (it's more or less obsolete now) but when my own particular brand is annoying me, they will always be called VAG.

In reply to a post by ParksidePeter:

Some strange comments on this. I wasn't complaining, although I 'haven't' registered to receive information from BTO, not having any reason to do so, but I thought it might be possible that there would be some interest in what BTO was saying about Fibre broadband.

I would take it with a pinch of salt anyway. I received this 4 years ago:

Have you heard the news?

We are very happy to let you know that we've recently announced plans to start upgrading the network in xxxx, and our initial planning work will include your street. In the near future, you may see people working on behalf of Openreach in your area. Be sure to say "hi" if you see them.

And four years later? Diddly squat. In fact, my whole estate has ended up being "de-planned" with no date at all when it might be done, despite literally every street surrounding it having had fibre for years now.

FWIW, YouFibre dug up my street this week. (which I'm extremely happy about, incidentally!)

In reply to a post by Iniltous:

Does anyone call Screwfix , Kingfisher Screwfix , or B&Q , Kingfisher B&Q ?, the ownership of Openreach is not in question , but it’s a fact is there is no BT Openreach .

Oh I never said there was.

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Paul

In reply to a post by PaulKirby:

In reply to a post by Iniltous:

Does anyone call Screwfix , Kingfisher Screwfix , or B&Q , Kingfisher B&Q ?, the ownership of Openreach is not in question , but it’s a fact is there is no BT Openreach .

Oh I never said there was.

You rightly quantified the connection between BT and Openreach but to call it BT Openreach or simply BTO which some are doing is not correct.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

British gas owns the gas network and yet it don't matter what provider I go for, I still have to use British gas network

British Gas hasn't owned the gas network for almost a year now but that's beside the point.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

British gas owns the gas network and yet it don't matter what provider I go for, I still have to use British gas network

Nope, British Gas is a subsidury of Centrica, and has no involvement in gas pipes.

SGN run the gas pipes in my area, and maybe yours.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SGN_(company)