FTTP Installation A Total Disaster

Hi

I’m sharing my woes in the hope someone can help:

On the 1 of December 2022, a Bt Openreach tech installed my ONT. However, since then, I have had no access to the Internet. Zen has accepted that this situation is unacceptable and has also acknowledged and escalated my complaint regarding this matter. However they say that everything is working as it should be at their end and at the exchange. This was the response of one of their fault managers (addressing my complaint regarding the failed installation):
“I do apologize that this is still ongoing. I have submitted a complaint now for review and with regards to the latest update from Openreach, their network team had advised this was a potential zen issue with our exchange equipment, this was checked over on Friday before close of play and returned to Openreach as cleared as our equipment is fully functioning and there are no errors detected when leaving our optics.

I have spoken to Openreach again this morning to request that this be sent back to their DCoE team immediately and that they investigate fully before any further actions take place as faults like this can be incredibly hard to find and resolve due to the type of service in place.

I have asked for this to be dealt with ASAP and Openreach advised the team looking into this will resume on Monday when they are back in and we should have a full update by 07/12/22. again we will do everything we can to get this resolved and will keep pushing for someone to look into this sooner if possible.”

Even though the Openreach tech who carried out the install had a great deal of trouble splicing the cable at Customer Service Point (CSP) - it kept snapping - and he admitted he was struggling and had little experience with fibre installations of this type, the Openreach engineer who came to investigate the following day, firmly stated that as my ONT is showing solid green lights under the following: LAN, PON and Power, there is no way that this could be a hardware problem and refused to replace or reconnect the fibre optic cable. Instead, he advised me to request that Zen carries out a “cease and re provide”. Zen however have said that this is something that only Openreach can carry out and would only be done as a last resort.

I chose Zen because of their excellent reputation - however, I am left with a sour taste in my mouth and am deeply regretting it.

PS. The Fritzbox 7530 that Zen supplied is showing two solid green lights. However, when the diagnostic test is run, returns the following error: “The ISP is not responding to PPPoE packets.”

Edited by kam67 (Sat 03-Dec-22 19:34:14)

Personally, the replacing of the ONT would have been the first point of call if all the lights were on and nothing being received.

Sounds like the 2nd Openreach engineer just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Would of taken no time at all to connect a new ONT and test before saying it needed to go back to Zen.

Was it a OR engineer or 3rd party contractor?

Hi Breyer,

Thank you for your response - sorry I omitted to mention that the ONT was replaced. Alas, it did not resolve the issue.

What particularly worries me is the lack of certainty and pessimism that underlines the fault manager’s response - specifically in this phrase : “faults like this can be incredibly hard to find and resolve due to the type of service in place.” It leaves wondering if I will either have to terminate my contract, or be stuck in this limbo indefinitely.

This situation (total lack of internet access) and the lack of a definite or (even estimated) ETA is becoming incredibly and increasingly distressing for my family and I.

Edited by kam67 (Sat 03-Dec-22 19:57:58)

If there's a PON light then the fault is either that your ONT hasn't been handed off to Zen and instead has gone to another provider, or the fault is with Zen. The physical network is working at that point.

Thanks jpm - if it has been given to another provider, what would it take to rectify the matter? Would a “cease and reprovide” resolve the issue? Would going with another provider fix it?

Does anything happen if you plug a laptop into the ONT? You could try changing your PPPoE username in your router to bt_test_user@startup_domain with no password - I have no idea if this works on FTTP and chances are Zen have put you on their own network rather than using BT Wholesale but it's worth a try.

Thanks for the suggestion - will try when next at home (may be a few days when next have access).

What about going for another isp but using the same fibre connection (the same hardware - including the ONT)? Would that help?

I received the following email from the fault manager this evening - holding out the promise of a potential fix. I’m next in the property tomorrow morning, when I will follow the instructions given and retest - so fingers! :

“We have heard back from openreach to advise an engineer went out externally yesterday evening and was able to move your services to a new pair within the network and have asked us to reach out and request that the ONT unit is reset (there is a reset button located on the unit) and once that is done to reset the router and go through a manual setup and this should bring your services back online.

I understand that you had questions about the length of time this has taken and that we did previously advise that issues like the one seen can be hard to find and repair and I want to assure you that openreach are fully trained to find and resolve faults of this nature and after a senior engineer was sent yesterday to perform move in connectors, they have been able to get a solid light level with no warnings or failures showing and have requested us to retest this service with you.

Should you have any further issues after the ONT and router have been reset and configured, we will be able to send the case back over to them and request an escalation to be put in place to have the area manager informed of the issue and openreach re deployed to look into and resolve any further issues if needed.”


P.S. As for resetting the ONT, have not been able to find clear instructions. I am clear that the reset button on the side of the Openreach modem needs to be pressed. But not sure as to how long and until which pattern of lights is displayed. Would be grateful for some guidance.

"...an engineer went out externally yesterday evening and was able to move your services to a new pair within the network"

God bless. There is no copper and no 'pair'. Old habits (and fault commentary scripts) must die hard eh 🤣

TRANSLATION: the engineer probably just moved your drop cable connection to another port on the CBT on the pole or chamber near your house.