BT Pole replacement - Notifying Customers?

Hi,

Simple question really. If BT need to replace a telegraph pole, would they normally inform the customers connected to it before disconnecting them?

My wife rang me to say we had lost broadband and phone today. She then noticed the dropwire hanging down in our back yard and the old pole being removed and replaced. It's about 10M further down the lane than our house.

Overall we had no service for most of the day. I don't mind the downtime if a repair is needed, but to disconnect perfectly functioning lines to replace a pole and not inform anyone was a surprise. Surely these things take time to plan, some of which should include popping a leaflet through the door of the maybe 60 homes connected (directly or indirectly) to that pole.

nope.

When our pole was replaced, several years ago, Openreach notified all those serviced by the pole of the date when it would happen

But the upside is that you should have a nice new drop wire and potentially new pairs to the PCP just ready for FTTC!

They don't always need to disconnect the line just to replace the pole.

It would be BT Openreach doing the work (or a contractor) but it's up to your ISP to notify you, OR don't deal directly with the general public.

You could look on roadworks.org to to see when work is being done.

I think it would be regarded as a phone job, so your line rental company's responsibility. Nothing to do with ISPs.

Point taken. Yes the phone line provider, which could be the same company as the broadband provider.

"and potentially new pairs to the PCP just ready for FTTC! "

Sorry but dream on

Hi,

Unfortunately no new drop wire, though the cable from the cab could have been replaced i can't tell as its underground. No improvement in ADSL2 performance though.

The line is with Sky but line rental is wholesale line rental rather than LLU.

Whilst i understand why its the line rental providers job to notify each of their respective customers; it would have been much easier to drop a leaflet through each door a day or two before hand. Similar to what you would get from your water company or electricity company.

OK,
In General, by default no new cables at all. No new D-side. No new spans.

A new pole is usually just replace because of a faulty pole. The main cable to the Block Terminal would be unclipped and the pole loosened around the bottom. There is usually no need to Inform local residents because no Disconnections should be made.
The O ring then remove from the top of the pole and left hanging with weight of spans supported by hoist/polecat. Pole removed. New pole in. O ring dropped over and fixed BT screwed on and cable clipped. Pole cemented down.
If Initail pole checked will not be easily removed then New pole put in alongside and then similar process with old pole being removed at the end. In this process sometimes some drop wires will be too short in which case they will have to be renewed. Then local residents would be Informed and then they will be replcaed. If residents not in then A new cable spanned and connected using a Junction box on Facia/wall.
Sometimes cables break very rare(steels rust) or bolts come out of facia property and cable falls down(Again Rare).

But for a cable to be cut or dropped and then the engineers not immediately let you know or replace is not usually the donw thing.

Thanks
Jason