I've got some positive news. It's not the deal maker I was hoping for, but they've moved my installation forward to Friday 14th December in the AM. Props go out to the Fibre support team for making an effort to combat their ineffective communications platform with BT Openreach.

Sky aren't all that bad afterall! I hope it goes well for you this time. I find the fibre team to be really helpful (once you get through to them).

I've had the fibre connection since early March and it's been flawless apart from a line fault (which wasn't anybodies fault and would have occurred on any ISP).

The exact same thing happened to us. Sub contractor called to the house and couldn't find the line, saying it could be burried under rubble, I thought what a load of [censored], my dad then says it could be possible as this new estate at the time, the houses were threw together they couldn't get them up fast enough at the time of the boom. The same engineer who first visited also said that the face plate that was fitted one asdl one telephone had to be removed as it slowed the internet speed, have you ever heard the likes of it?haha.

So a few days later a proper Bt engineer showed up, old school, well experienced chap who explained the situation, I told him about the face plate and he couldn't understand what the other guy was on about lol. Well he connected some signal device and went outside to look for the line that was apparently burried. He got out this wire tracer from his van and walked up the street a bit and found the junction box that the line was connected to, he came back and must have went to the exchange or cabinet and that was it. Was sorted all within an hour!

So maybe the same thing will happen to you, and things will be sorted by a proper engineer, not one of these half arsed engineers who couldn't really care less.

Regards
Donal.

I had a bad feeling about today, I knew I should have called sooner but I had an emergency to deal with... so.. here's what's happening:

I am waiting for the OR engineer all day, and it's 12:00 now, only 1 hour left for them to get here. I call Sky just to make sure that they're on their way, but I get bad news, yet again.

They inform me, that the previous lady who sent me an installation confirmation misread the notes and told me that I am getting it installed today, when in fact, it is just some sort of provisional date for OR to check my line, or whatever... I don't fully understand the reasoning.
They said that Sky still thinks my line isn't working because they didn't get an update from OR. I told them that OF COURSE they knew, I told the Sky Fibre team representatives two days in a row that it's working now, how could they not know?!?!

So now I wasted two weeks waiting for nothing, because neither side was doing anything and I may be without internet for all the holiday season. Merry XMas?

demand an expidited install even if its at their expense.

expidited if pushed for will be within a few days.

Sky will claim it is not possible or there is no such thing.

I did say I want an expedited install, because of several underlying issues (the fact that it was originally supposed to be installed on the 28th being not only one!) and I suspect after I repeat my reasons several times they'll understand it's becoming urgent. VM is pulling the plug (after intense negotiations) today and the prospect of not having internet at home will not only be stressful but will cut me off from my family, who rely on me to communicate with them and it's actually a matter of medical urgency now, so I really do hope Sky sees some sense and gets this done asap.

Broadband is as essential now as gas and electricity, and not being able to supply such a rather basic thing (and come on, we know it's easy once they get around to it) in over 3 weeks is dire indeed.

I was told it will "take 24 hours for BT OR to return to us after we update the notes asking for confirmation that the line is working". So, Sky will only look at the calendar on Monday at the earlier to book the installation engineer if BTOR replies with a "yes the line is working" on their extremely crummy IT system.

In reply to a post by Saltank:

it's actually a matter of medical urgency now, so I really do hope Sky sees some sense and gets this done asap.

Broadband is as essential now as gas and electricity, and not being able to supply such a rather basic thing (and come on, we know it's easy once they get around to it) in over 3 weeks is dire indeed.

I am afraid that you cannot rely on BB connections for any "basic needs" as it is not provided as a critical service (we do not pay for it as that) and we do not pay for that level of service.

If you want that level of cover you should really be on a business tariff with covering SLAs. You can get 24 hour repairs etc.

Alternately you could use a 3G connexion as back up if you have coverage.

You rarely get what you don't pay for ............

In reply to a post by greenglide:

In reply to a post by Saltank:

it's actually a matter of medical urgency now, so I really do hope Sky sees some sense and gets this done asap.

Broadband is as essential now as gas and electricity, and not being able to supply such a rather basic thing (and come on, we know it's easy once they get around to it) in over 3 weeks is dire indeed.

I am afraid that you cannot rely on BB connections for any "basic needs" as it is not provided as a critical service (we do not pay for it as that) and we do not pay for that level of service.

If you want that level of cover you should really be on a business tariff with covering SLAs. You can get 24 hour repairs etc.

Alternately you could use a 3G connexion as back up if you have coverage.

You rarely get what you don't pay for ............

They took my £50 without hesitation. At this point, I would not mind paying another £50 if they can just hurry up and get it done already.

They might have taken your money, but you've still only ordered a residential product, at residential prices, with residential SLA's.

If you have a true need to *never* be out of touch, you need to plan for it, and expect to pay for it. Backup connections would be part of the plan (2nd phone lines, 2nd modems or routers with dual WANs, or a 3G PAYG dongle). Paying for better SLA responses would be part of the plan too.

Similarly, any plan to change provider would have to be done expecting a failure at some point - or at least allowing for it. That would require you to plan, perhaps, to install a second line temporarily, or have a 3G backup available.

If you aren't willing to pay the extra that is necessary to guarantee availability (and your £50 hasn't bought that), then you have to accept the risk that things can go wrong, and will stay wrong for as long as a domestic SLA allows.