Small new build; no cables laid at all?

Hi everyone

I would really appreciate some help with figuring out what my realistic options are given

I have moved into a small development of 4 houses built on the site of a large property about a month ago. I've been going around in circles trying to get online ever since as I'm being sent in circles between ISPs and Openreach, who can't find the address, randomly cancel orders, and refer me to each other.

The facts on the ground are:
1. The address is live on Royal Mail, and most of ISP websites. But it does not exist on Openreach, e.g. their Fibre checker.
As a result, for most ISPs other than Sky, choosing my address in their postcode search and clicking "what are my options" leads to an error and prevents me from placing any orders.

2. There is no Openreach modem installed, but no copper line that I can see either. The developer is completely unresponsive, but they've basically said that "all ducting has been laid, and residents need to contact BT to get the line in". The ducts are empty and lead to the street.
It does not appear that the developer had any agreement with Openreach.

3. The property that was in place of the 4 new builds had FTTC and so on according to BT Wholesale:
https://ibb.co/5xyRdJp
I can't do a similar search for my house because the address does not get matched.

4. The house is quite far from the cabinet, and the expected ADSL speeds are quite grim:
[Link removed]

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Where things stand now is that after an unexplained cancellation by Now TV, and Openreach rejecting my new build form (sending me to the ISP), BT has taken my fibre order and completed a form to Openreach to activate the address/install the line.
However, half of the BT reps I speak to assume that I have the Openreach box already despite my saying otherwise.
No reply from Openreach for over a week now, but am I wasting my time? If there is no box, no wiring laid during development and so on, is there really any chance of my being able to get FTTC?

If fibre is out of question in the short run, should I start trying to get normal broadband in or is it likely to be too slow given the estimated speeds? Is 4G with Vodafone or Three likely to be a faster option (Ofcom coverage checker is good for the area even though my giffgaff phone is pretty slow)?

Thank you in advance, and sorry for the garbled terminology. I'm still learning...

Edited by deleted (Tue 14-Jan-20 01:28:51)

I suggest you remove your second link immediately. It gives your address, and these forums appear on search engines.

Other than that, the relevant info in it is the distance of 2354 metres, which is from the exchange, not the cabinet. From your first link I would put you at less than 200 metres from the cabinet.

This problem will be solvable. We have seen several similar ones. I expect a staff member will want you to let him have that address info via PM. Don�t leave the link there waiting .

Thanks, RobertoS!
The link is now gone.

I've tried to search the forum for similar issues before posting, but seemed to largely find cases where people were in larger developments where there was some presumption of an agreement between the developer and Openreach / or where FTTC was not already in the street. But I could have easily misinterpreted things.

Links to advice from the past similar cases are very welcome, of course.

Finding useful links here would take a while, and it is lights out time for me. Nothing would happen here anyway until morning at the earliest.

I am 98% sure you will get help here once the thread is read.

Nite , and good luck.

Are the new houses on a new postcode or being added as addresses to the existing postcode? Also are you sure you have the right postcode (sounds daft but has been the odd case of people using the wrong one due to being given the wrong one)

If the latter this explains why ISP checkers initially think you can order, as going off of old info.

New builds always have a bit of a ghost period as various databases update.

With a build of 4 the default is just copper and that means no openreach modem is installed, that only happens on fibre only builds. So likely will just be connected to the existing copper network.

Question you say the ducts are in place, but has the developer installed a telephone socket. It is normal for them to install this during the build so that it is done neatly.

Getting this fixed you need to email me [email protected] and will look at what systems say for you and then if needed prod Openreach for an update on where things are and/or get the ball moving on fixing checkers.

In terms of service I am expecting you to be able to order it will be a partial fibre (fibre to the cabinet) service running via VDSL2, i.e. same fibre service as millions of other homes across the UK.

If there is no copper in place, just ducts, you will need to order a new line from someone, OR will then provide the copper ( or fibre if they want but very unlikely) and then you will appear on the checkers. You will have to provide evidence of the address matching the postcode from the royal mail checker to the provider so that they can get OR to build it on their systems. ( OR do not have people trying to find new addresses on existing postcodes but rely on developers to provide the info).

In Theory you could fill in the developers from on the OR site and provide it to OR but they may think you are the developer and expect x months notice. A 'retail' order for a new line will not require notice ( If it costs enough it may require excess charges to be paid but this shouldn't apply in your case.)

Andrew will do a chase the same way as your new provider could.

Thanks very much. That's broadly where I am now:
1. Contacted BT to get fibre.
2. BT submitted a form to OR to put the address on their systems and get a line in. Said that OR would be in touch within a week.
3. OR haven't been in touch. And my address is still missing from OR fibre lookup and has no NAD Key or District ID on BT Wholesale either.

I guess I'll need to chase BT within the next couple of days but it's pretty difficult to have a productive conversation with them when half of the reps assume that my situation is completely different (e.g. that I have the OR modem already or that the developer is involved).

Have you emailed MrSaffron (Andrew) as he requested? That's your best chance.

He'll need that postcode and preferably the full address of the demolished property on the site.

Yes, I have. Wer'e just waiting to see what OR come back with in response to the address registration form. Which for now is nothing, but we'll see.

Surely this is just a Silver address (appears in the Royal Mail PAF but not in Openreach's DB)? When we get these we simply submit a new line order, the order sometime goes to Openreach Planning and is delayed slightly and then providing all is ok and appointment is made to install the line with the end user. After that a broadband order can be placed or is simultaneously provided.