FTTP?

Good Morning,

I am posting this on behalf of a friend of mine (I seem to do that a lot!)

He has been commenting about having issues with a BT Fibre installation, so I asked for some more info and this is why I have come here for some advice.

His area appears to have FTTP available as this info suggests:

BT BROADBAND AVAILABILITY CHECKER
Address XXX SANDY HILL LANE, IPSWICH, IP3 0JA on Exchange IPSWICH is served by Cabinet 97

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate(Mbps) Downstream Range(Mbps) Availability Date

WBC FTTP Up to 330 Up to 30 -- Available

WBC ADSL 2+ Up to 2 -- 1 to 3.5 Available
ADSL Max Up to 1.5 -- 1 to 2.5 Available
WBC Fixed Rate 0.5 -- -- Available
Fixed Rate 0.5 -- -- Available
Other Offerings
Fibre Multicast -- -- -- Available
Copper Multicast -- -- -- Available

He rang up BT (Retail) and was told to order Infinity 1 with Calls online as it was cheaper and got install date(s) and felt all was well. Nothing and no engineer turned up, so he rang BT and was told there had been an error and it had been cancelled (no calls no e-mails to advise this). They then proceeded to re-order the package for him, he got new install dates and yes you guessed it the same has happened again.

So my questions are:

1: Has he been advised to order the correct package from BT Retail? The checker (using his postcode and address) gives WBC FTTP as his available Fibre service. If this is the incorrect package can anyone advise (and provide a link) what the correct package should be?

2: Are BT (Retail) the ONLY provider of residential FTTP packages? He has been led to believe that they are.

I really look forward to any help provided, I am at work today so I will reply as and when I can.

Thanks again

1. Infinity 1 is a valid FTTP product, as are Infinity 2, 3 and 4. Same prices as for FTTC areas, FTTP people get the extra option of the 3 & 4 products.

2. Not totally true, existing ADSL customers of PlusNet can upgrade to FTTP, but beyond that it is the SME type providers some who are very happy to deal with residential too.

BT Retail and Openreach seem to suffer more order failures on the FTTP product range, so it is a case of persisting.

FTTP takes two engineer visits, one to install fibre to the outside wall of the property, then another who will come inside property to install the kit at a suitable point (must be within 30m of the box on the outside wall)

MrS as always your response has been simple but VERY helpful.

Do you know of a way to get this escalated to a slightly higher and maybe more helpful team within BT (Retail)? My friend has spent hours on the phone to them trying to get it resolved and seems to have got no where!

I value any input you have to give.

Thanks

It's BT and Openreach messing things up, business as usual in other words.

I too am in Suffolk with FTTP on order since the beginning of July and am still waiting for the process to get any further. About 15 people that I know of down my road have also ordered and they all have problems of one kind or another with their order no-one yet successfully connected after that two months. Orders being cancelled for no reason and without informing the householder is but one of the problems faced. I too have been on the phone more often than I care to think about and have been promised that things will be "escalated" twice but that appears to mean nothing.

As Mr Saffron says perseverance is all you can do in the hope that eventually things will be sorted out. It is very frustrating indeed, good luck to your friend!

Edited by Jax2 (Sat 05-Sep-15 11:40:13)

Do not give up! BT Openreach seem to be incapable of processing some things. I was asked to help some friends who had a 'Home Move' booked for completion on 28/8. The phone line was disconnected at the old property. Guess what?

Following a challenging call to the Asian continent - I could not understand the man, and he was just 'following the script' anyway, I was put through to a Yorkshire lass (a bit non-PC but I also had to concentrate to cut through that accent....). Anyway she said the order had been 'cancelled' - NB no notification to anyone, and she re-placed the connection order. it again 'failed'.

All credit to Gavin Patterson (CEO of BT) who (like Livingstone before) responded very quickly to a heated email over Bank Holiday. Their 'Executive team' (a lady called 'Tracey Reid') was allocated and found out on Bank Holiday Monday that Openreach had been to a house on 28/8 with the same name, different postcode, and somewhat alarmed the unsuspecting occupants with the disconnection/connection news - which they declined, so OR CANCELLED the order, and did the same with the second request. I gather these folk are a trifle unhappy too. Now, you and I might have had a little light come on in our heads to say this was the wrong house, and made some enquiries - oh no, not OR.

Anyway, all sorted now, line connected in the right house. This reminds me of No 1 son who had a line fault a few years back in a rented property in the Borders. First OR man said 'Fault at exchange'. After 16 further OR visits to investigate a fault 'at the house', the light came on.

God help us - and this is the government's choice to process the BDUK scheme.

PS Email address is 'Public Domain' but I can post it if you need it.

Edited by mikejp (Sat 05-Sep-15 11:44:47)

I would like to know Gavin Pattersons contact details as I think that may have to be my next port of call, are the details readily available?

[email protected]

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 05-Sep-15 12:01:16)

If you can email details I can feed them up higher into the food chain over at BT

[email protected]

Thanks again MrS,

I've passed this forum link to my friend. I'll catch up with him after work and see what he says.

Also worth [email protected] - in charge of disasters there.