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Midway through FTTP installation but stalled

NiallM

Member
Hello, hope everyone is well.

I was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation to me or know what I could possibly do to move on with an FTTP installation to my apartment / apartment block. For a bit of background, I currently live in an apartment in a block of 8 in Belfast, that just before the coronavirus pandemic was in the middle of getting FTTP made available. The area I am in has been FTTP enabled for a while now, yet only my apartment block wasn't and isn't even connected to a FTTC cabinet, so I can only get basic ADSL (I think most ISPs were giving me 1-3MB estimates).

Before coronavirus kicked off, we had some work installed by Openreach (well KNCircet on behalf of Openreach) which has invisilight cables and what I believe are OFS breakout boxes installed to the front door of each apartment. I was told in an original email that this was aimed to be all completed by the end of March and FTTP would be available to order by then, Openreach only had a little external work to finish based on emails with Openreach in March. Obviously coronavirus pushed that back which is totally fine and understandable, but now I am struggling to find out what is left and if Openreach even plan to finish the job.

I deal with a not very efficient or helpful management company for the block as well as some directors who didn't quite see the benefit of having good broadband so wouldn't allow for outside cabling hence I am not able to get Virgin, which I imagine could also be adding to the slowness and struggles to get this work finished. It is just that recent emails with Openreach have been a bit contradictory, for example from my most recent emails with them they said that no agreement was in place as we are an MDU, yet I know for a fact the wayleave was signed and returned, and work has already been done internally within the apartment block so clearly there was an agreement.

I was hoping someone might have a suggestion or idea on what I can do to get the ball rolling again? I kinda feel like if someone was to just come take a look at what has been done so far I could get a straight answer and know if we are planned and if so a very rough timescale.

Thanks for your help!
 
Click my name on the left and then 'Start Conversation'. If you're willing to share the details of your apartment block then I can ask Openreach if they're able to clarify what's happening.
 
Do you know what... I’m in a similar situation.

All our internal building work for FTTP in Salisbury was completed before lock down.

I placed an order early July 2020 and on the 8th July, they gave me an install date of Today (31st July) to install into my property.

Yesterday, I get an email from my new isp to say OpenReach have cancelled the install due to a Covid-19 restriction!

I googled a bit and found work in MDU (Multi Dwelling Units) appeared to have been halted.

There’s 4 Flats in my block and 2 exits. I’m more annoyed that the order was able to be even placed for a MDU and that no-one picked up on this sooner! My address even has the word ‘Flat’ in it.

Wether this is still current I don’t know. It’s dated 27/4/20. But it states work at MDUs has likely stopped:
 
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Do you know what... I’m in a similar situation.

All our internal building work for FTTP in Salisbury was completed before lock down.

I placed an order early July 2020 and on the 8th July, they gave me an install date of Today (31st July) to install into my property.

Yesterday, I get an email from my new isp to say OpenReach have cancelled the install due to a Covid-19 restriction!

I googled a bit and found work in MDU (Multi Dwelling Units) appeared to have been halted.

There’s 4 Flats in my block and 2 exits. I’m more annoyed that the order was able to be even placed for a MDU and that no-one picked up on this sooner! My address even has the word ‘Flat’ in it.

Wether this is still current I don’t know. It’s dated 27/4/20. But it states work at MDUs has likely stopped:

Hi, thought I would follow up to yourself and in general. I heard a little more about our own installation which as you said sounds similar. Sounds like at least here in NI, the MDU team were furloughed during lockdowns but are now beginning to prioritise and schedule work that was ongoing before, based on my recent email from them. Hopefully that is the case for yourself, I am waiting to hear when they plan to resume my buildings specific works but sounded like they plan to resume at some stage fairly soon.
 
I was given another install date for tomorrow after a “polite moan” at my new ISP.

Hopefully, it goes ahead this time and it’s not cancelled on me with just a few hours notice.

Especially after I moved a new shower install to next week to make sure there wasn’t 2 contractors on site at the same time!
 
Hi, just thought I would post a further update for anyone that comes across, or has came across, this thread. Appologies if this is considered bumping an old outdated thread. Still no luck with being able to place an order, the Openreach and BT wholesale checks have not been updated yet and I think that is the final step needed. According to our management company for the building, Openreach have confirmed all internal and external works are complete on their end, they had to request keys and do one last bit around the start of August but according to the management company Openreach confirmed this was all complete at the end of August.

My most recent email from Openreach was on the 4th of October, with the following:
Good morning,


Thank you for your email and apologies for the late reply.


The nearby FTTP equipment is now showing active. I have just emailed the Northern Ireland Team asking them to check the records for your address.


We will get back to you once we receive a reply. In the meantime please check for FTTP availability from 7th October: https://www.homeandbusiness.openreach.co.uk/fibre-broadband/when-can-i-get-fibre
I left that for around 2 weeks and sent a small email reply just asking if their had been any update from the NI team, or if I could help with anything, but have not heard back since when I sent my reply on the 20th October, which to be fair was only a few days ago.

Related, it appears one of the other flats in our building was able to gain permission for Virgin to be installed and are now fully connected (within about a week or so of moving in and requesting permission), so it appears other owners/the management company have now changed their mind on the no cables on the outside issue, so I am hoping that we will also be able to obtain permission for own flat and get Virgin installed, but it would still be nice to have a choice available, in case for whatever reason Virgin permission is revoked.

Thanks
 
Hello, thought I would just give another update if anyone is interested or in the same situation that I can help with. Unfortunately I am still on my trusty (well... kinda trusty) 4G connection. Since my previous message I've had the following updates:

  • Was denied permission to get Virgin in, which was kinda expected though a neighbour has it. This was around the start of November. The joys of living in a flat and dealing with management companies. Wasn't too upset as would prefer FTTP.
  • Openreach got back to me around the same day with a great update, I was now able to place an order and all external work was completed. Happy days progress was being made.
  • Decided to go with Zen, heard they had good customer service and great speeds, and I had a feeling that getting set up might not be as straight forward from here as it should be.
  • Placed order on the 10/11/20, got an original install date for 19/11/20 for an external installation (which I am pretty sure at this point wasn't needed), and an internal installation for the 30/11/20. Great, around 3 weeks to it's all in, happy days.
  • 19/11/20 rolled around, heard nothing from Openreach or Zen but assumed that they didn't really need to do anything anyway, we already have the fiber right up to our front door of our flat so assumed they realised there was nothing needed externally.
  • Reached around the 28/11/20 and hadn't received my router yet so fired over an email to Zen. Turns out they never noted that I needed one when I ordered my broadband package. Easy mistake, and they fixed it quickly for me and had one sent out to me which was great.
  • 30/11/20 rolls around and the engineer doesn't arrive. A bit of a shame but to be fair to Zen they compensated me and let me know that the engineer should have been in touch about the delay.
  • Openreach get in touch and say that there was some external work still needed but were pretty vague about what it was. I have a new installation date for... Christmas Eve, 24/12/11. When I saw that date with not only Christmas but the ongoing covid issues I accepted it but had no hopes for it.
  • 24/12/11 comes and goes. No engineer arrives and no update on why. I expected this given the time of the year but still a bit disappointing to have a second no show with no update.
  • Zen get in touch on the 29/12/20 and let me know that Openreach had no capacity that day to finish all their jobs. Fair enough given the time of the year but still a little disappointing.
  • Get a new installation date for the 15/01/21.
  • I saw the ISPreview article about Openreach going back to March level restrictions so assumed that I would be impacted, which is totally fair given that everyone's health and safety is most important.
  • 13/01/21 comes and I get a text about my upcoming engineer visit. Was a little surprised but assumed my appointment was still on then.
  • 15/01/21 comes and engineer phones me that morning. Says they cannot enter flats due to current regulations. Totally fair and understandable for healthy and safety, but can't help feel a little disappointed given how long it has been. Obviously much bigger problems for people going on these days so feel a bit entitled when I feel disappointed though.
So that is my progress so far. Zen have been pretty helpful throughout, although would say they are quicker to respond on twitter than through emails, although it sounds like they have been busy lately. Openreach communication had been hit or miss but given the current circumstances that is probably fair enough too.
 
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Im in Belfast too, had same issues with openreach re not going into peoples homes, understandable but why is the appointment available to be booked in first place then?
 
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