What do you mean by "they charge companies for these lines"? Which companies are you referring you? Unless you're part of a BDUK (or other state funded) rollout, then I can assure you Openreach will be paying for your build out of their own pocket, ie a commercial build. They will only start getting a ROI once users start ordering their services.
At the end of the day Openreach will look for the cheapest FTTP solution if they're funding it 100% themselves. How much profit Openreach make is irrelevant since they're a business and not a charity. But if you (and other residents) want their equipment installed more discretely then be prepared to pay if necessary - almost guaranteed to be more than £20 per CBT.
Otherwise you will be left with 2 clear choices: no FTTP for a potentially LONG time or having to put up with a less aesthetically pleasing FTTP install. Can you post some photos please of the offending CBT(s)?
I never said that openreach weren't making a capital investment and paying to install the main line, I was making reference to the line rental that they charge ISP's, as you yourself say they will be getting an ROI from line rental once users sign up.
I agree that openreach will look for the cheapest solution (to maximise their profit, which is understandable as a business) but that doesn't mean to say that the cheapest solution for them is the right (or the only) solution for the customer and I'm pretty sure that as with any business there is room for negotiation.
If they had followed their own process we wouldn't even be in this situation;
1.Building Survey
2. Survey return & Review- "We’ll send you a survey pack and review it with you to make sure you’re happy with the bespoke solution offered for your building."
3. Wayleave Signing
4. On site fibre build.
No opportunity for a representative to accompany on survey!
No Survey return & review!
No Wayleave Agreement!
If they had followed their process we would have been able to provide input at the survey stage and wouldn't have approved the wiring that they've installed BUT would have had the opportunity to discuss alternative options, whether that would have been;
- for them to do the extra work if they valued the potential income from 50 new lines.
- for us to contribute towards the work to get the product we want.
- to seek alternate suppliers, we're fortunate enough to have cityfibre actively installing in the area.
- other options (feel free to add)
In reference to your other points;
> How much profit openreach make is relevant as it demonstrates that they are profiting from the provision of these services.
> The additional £20 per CBT is in reference to the Connection unit itself not any associated wiring and is based on seeing a suitable slimline unit online (around A5 size) priced at £40 and guessing that the other units were around £20, but yes a bit of artistic licence on that one.
It really feels like openreach are just bulldozing their way in, doing work without permission and saying "well it's there now" in the hope that most people will just roll over and take what they're given. Whether they're more active in Norwich with this tactic because cityfibre are chomping at their heels and they want to get in first so they can either get the line rental from the ISP's or the duct rental (as you mentioned in one of your posts) or they just want to hit their rollout targets to keep the shareholders happy I don't know.
Please don't think I'm arguing with you, I'm not, I'm just trying to explain my perspective on the situation.