OpenReach Survey Costs

We're planning an extension to our home, which would move our (FTTP) external connection point around the corner (1-2m). We know where the duct goes (it was laid in 2017), the joint box is at the end of our drive. Fibre doesn't go through our wall at that point (and isn't moving), that's just where the duct ends & the old copper ends. No extra cable length required. No extra corners in the duct. etc. Suburban area, we don't live miles out in the country.

We're happy for our groundworks people to dig trenches and move the duct or relay new duct. All we're *really* after is the fibre engineer to move the cable into to the new duct. We've explained all this and sent drawings. There's basically no unknowns in this for OpenReach as far as I can see. The cable/equipment/ducting/joint box/etc all date to after 2017.

We've eventually (after about two months) been quoted £1550 for the cost of a SURVEY ONLY. Apparently the survey is 15 hours work at £86/hour. This seems about 5x what anyone else on the Internet has been charged in the last few years.

I followed the questions on the website initially, uploaded the drawings, then spoke to someone a couple of days later, then radio silence for a couple of months until this letter arrived. This is through the "Repayments (Alterations)" team at OpenReach.

Any suggestions? Did I somehow end up in the multi-million dollar commercial development division where everyone swims in money?

I'd request an "ONT Shift - Relocation of existing ONT / Internal ONT Shift" through your ISP. I had a quick look art the Openreach price list here and its listed as £89.04 +VAT. So that hopefully gives you a ballpark charge.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

I'd request an "ONT Shift - Relocation of existing ONT / Internal ONT Shift" through your ISP.

Thanks for your help. ONT is in the right spot, what will happen when the engineer shows up?

That price list also has an "external shift":

The External Shift or Rearrangement of Line-plant covers the external wiring from the distribution point to the protection box (or where one would be fitted) at the End User's premises, and the internal wiring from the protection box up to and including the first (main) socket, block terminal or other network terminating point.

More explanation: The issue is the proposed extension foundations will bury the end of the existing duct. Think an "L" shape where the vertical bar is the duct up the driveway, the top of the L is the joint box, and the lower right corner is the duct riser/copper NTE. The bottom of the L needs to move up about a metre.

Thanks for the clarification. There's no external (to your property) civil works required at all from Openreach. You've confirmed you will be laying your own ducting (to Openreach spec) and have your builders ensure they pull in draw rope (with no knots etc) ready for the engineer.

If I've understood correctly, then its really quite a simple matter for them to reconnect using the new duct; in practical terms they would cut the existing drop cable and pull it back, then feed it into the new ducting and pull it in using the draw, back up to the existing CSP (customer service point) where they will re-splice the drop cable to the existing internal fibre cable feeding the ONT.

Worst case they will need to provide a new drop cable. No big deal.

Again all this should be completely do-able -> ordered and organised via/through your ISP. It shouldn't and won't cost thousands. I would expect a similar charge to the ONT relocation charge (plus some admin + mark-up etc) or similar to a new connection cost - as that's essentially what it is (actually it's less work as the internal cabling does not change).

Edited by Pheasant (Wed 11-May-22 18:36:05)

Shift if your self and put it roughly back together, not working, in the new location. Ring up and report it not working. You used to get charged £85 for fixing a fault due to damage you have caused, just say the builders trashed it.

Bargain if you can live without tinternet for a few days

It’s more like £120 ….