Openreach Improve Reappointment Process for Some UK FTTP Broadband Installs
Network operator Openreach (BT) looks set to improve the flexibility and cost of their reappointment process for changes to new provisions of Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband lines, which will introduce an end customer reappointing calendar and waive the related amendment charge for ISPs.
The change centres on the operator’s FTTP Appointment Pull Forward Process, which allows broadband ISPs to offer certain in-scope customers an earlier appointment date, provided Openreach has operational capacity available in the area to deliver on it.
Giving certain customers the opportunity to choose an earlier date, when requested, using the new end customer reappointing calendar is obviously a welcome development, as it the removal of an amend charge. The change itself is due to be introduced from 28th January 2026, albeit only for customers in certain situations. See the briefing for more.
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FTTP CP amend charge waiver
- From 28 January 2026, Openreach will waive the CP Amend charge for any FTTP orders which meet the following criteria and are therefore classed as in-scope for appointment pull forward (“Pull Forward”): a. The order has:
i. not passed the Customer Committed Dated (“CCD”) but has an appointment date with a lead time age greater than 7 calendar days; or,
ii. failed a first CCD and has an appointment date in the future; and,
b. Openreach has operational capacity available to offer an earlier appointment date than the current designated appointment date.
(together “Appointment Pull Forward Criteria”)
2. Those FTTP orders which meet the Appointment Pull Forward Criteria will be managed via a “Pull Forward Appointment Book” and the prioritisation of appointments in the Pull Forward Appointment Book will be determined on the following basis:
a. those orders which have failed a first CCD will be prioritised for Pull Forward above those orders which have not failed a first CCD; and,
b. those orders which have the greater lead time (or tail) age will be prioritised for Pull Forward above those which have a shorter lead time (or tail) age.
3. For the avoidance of doubt, the End Customer will need to accept the earlier appointment offered by way of Pull Forward otherwise the order will remain unchanged and no charge will be incurred.
4. Communication Providers will automatically be opted-in and considered for Pull Forward. Communication Providers may opt-out of Pull Forward by contacting their Service Account Manager.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Sorry to ask, how will this ever work? Openreach engineer only send text message but you cannot adjustmnt change the date by text or online?
The service provider is offered the earlier appointment by Openreach and then offer it to you.
You either keep the one you have or accept the new one. You tell your service provider, they tell Openreach, appointment gets changed if you accept and stays the same if you don’t.
I’m still waiting for openreach to talk to EE/BT about my address. Openreach say it can be connected, but EE say it fails when they try.
I tried to get and openreach ordi raised 5 times so far, but nothing happens.
They should provide real updates instead of just ignoring requests
I remember it took my isp plusnet almost 6 weeks to sort out ordi with openreach is bloody nightmare!
Set up a fibre deal with Openreach 4th Sept. On the 5th Engineer turned up marked my garden and the pavement outside. 15th September called it wouldn’t be installed today at 15.00 Openreach reach Engineer turned up to markup. Surprised to see it marked out. Told 23 October now guess what told 9 Dec awaiting BCP council permit. Called BCP no requests for permit to dig. Seems Openreach have different avenues regarding council permits hmmm I’m not holding my breath. No wonder the UK is going nowhere.
Hope if they bring the appointments forward they do such with the full knowledge and agreement of the customer. When my house was converted to FTTP we had agreed dates for the external and internal works to be completed. Went on holiday to find on our return the external works had been completed. They put the external box where the copper cable entered the house but as i wanted to route the fibre on different way into the house I needed the box at different less obvious locatin. Rang BT to ask what they were playing at to be told we thought you would be pleased to be connected early. I was any thing but… Not only did they have to return to re-run the fibre they wasted over 300mtrs of fibre and blown duct.
And then they nearly missed the internal installation date.
I was one of the fortunate ones out there, I reached out to Openreach about full fibre network not accessible by any ISP covering my area. They communicated and after lots of internal collaborative effort, they granted my premise access to their full fibre network.
Once I placed my order with my ISP, a date was set for my full fibre installation go live about 5 weeks. However, I was contacted by Openreach of and earlier date being available, I couldn’t believe it and took it. It brought forward the activation date by almost 3 weeks and installation was smooth.
Couldn’t thank enough the entire Openreach team getting me connected to their FTTP that was initially in my area scheduled for ending of 2026.
Thank you Openreach
From an consumer end user.
I managed to reschedule my Openreach appointment to install FTTP from two months away to the next week. But it’s just been a shit show. First and second scheduled appointments – no shows, no messages despite staying in all day. Third appointment an Openreach engineer showed up and was actually competent, but blocked duct (blockage is under the pavement in one spot due to collapsed cast iron pipe). The engineer is annoyed at the previous people (both MJ Quinn contractors) for not doing their job. “Escalates” it due to my bad experience so far but the civil engineering crew get booked for end of January! Four months away! Escalated with EE but no change.
Looking at over £800 compensation at this point (EE didn’t email me after 30 days to limit the compensation to 60 days, have got all my troubles on record with them). More if they fail to install quickly after the civils do their work. Perhaps the only silver lining. Would prefer it was over with though.
I’m not sure whether being able to change my appointment messed stuff up or has helped by not having the initial wait.