Openreach Ultrafast

Like a lot of people on these hallowed forums, I usually post here when I'm unhappy about being missed or passed over for the latest developments in internet access by BT / Openreach / Virgin.

A few weeks back an elderly neighbour of mine mentioned that he had seen an Openreach van in our street and the engineer was 'painting marks' on the footpath. My neighbour politely enquired with the engineer about his visit and was told it was a survey for 'Fibre Internet' or words to that effect. As we are usually at the a**e end of everything here I thought nothing more of it. I didn't even bother to use the BT Wholesale checker that at one time I was obsessed with and frequently disappointed by.

Last Tuesday our street was full of Openreach vans, I counted 7 at one point. Streetworks said it was a 'blocked duct'. Again, I didn't even bother to use the BT Wholesale checker.

Last Friday, in a Teams meeting, a colleague who lives in a village 10 miles away was telling us all about his fibre install. He had opted for the 150 Mb package. Obviously my colleague being able to get FTTP was not an indication that I could, but I made a mental note to check the Openreach / BT Checker at some point.

On Saturday evening I remembered to check, just before I went to bed. It took me a minute to spot the "FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered". OMG!

Sunday (3rd) lunch time was spent debating which option / supplier etc. Settled on BT as I'm currently with PlusNet so no cancellation fee if arranged through PN. 40 Minute call later and it's all organised for April 19th, with survey due 6th April.

This morning (5th) and an Openreach engineer arrives. He talks me through a couple of options and for the easiest one he needs to dig a hole. I say yes and after a couple of hours I now have a coiled up fibre under my living room window ready to go on the 19th.

I can't quite believe how quickly this has all happened. Who knew BT / Openreach could be so 'Ultrafast'. I know I'm probably going to regret posting this if the appointment on the 19th doesn't go well.

Wish me luck anyway!

Del

At least you got OR engineers to do the job. My neighbour opposite had ftth installed yesterday and it took three different Quinn contractors to do the job including one in a cherry picker connecting the fibre to the cbt at the top of the shared power/bt pole on his own. I asked him where his safety assistant was and he wouldnt answer !!!. It would also be nice if the Quinn staff had been trained to use a spirit level when fitting the splice point box!

As the CBT was accessed via a hoist, then the installer was the hoists safety bod

The engineer that came today was a bit older and seemed very experienced. He even said he still enjoyed doing this kind of 'civils' work.

Top bloke he was too. I guess they can't all be the same, especially the contractors.

Del.

Sounds good, can you explain why he needed to dig a hole? Just trying to get it straight in my head

My install required a hole dug also, due to a partially DiG feed.

They dug a hole in my garden where the line exited the partial duct, fed the fibre up the duct to the hole then used a microduct across the garden to the property.

Edited by BuckleZ (Wed 06-Apr-22 15:13:23)

In reply to a post by BuckleZ:

My install required a hole dug also, due to a partially DiG feed.

They dug a hole in my garden where the line exited the partial duct, fed the fibre up the duct to the hole then used a microduct across the garden to the property.

Thanks for explaining what happened in your case its much appreciated.

Same circumstances for me too.

Who knew BT / Openreach could be so 'Ultrafast'
…
Wish me luck anyway!

It may not seem so to many folks, but Openreach are actually increasing the speed and efficiency which they are building out their network. As they have to really to meet the aggressive build targets they have set and to keep out in front of the increasing competition.

👍 …should be on the home straight now.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

As the CBT was accessed via a hoist, then the installer was the hoists safety bod

but the guy with the cherry picker was on his own when he used the hoist to connect the cable to the cbt, then later in the day another guy turned up and fastened the cable to the bargeboard and ran the cable down the wall (badly)to the splice point which he didnt get level