Whatsfibre?
Member
Ok this is quite long but the amount of time it’s been going on for it’s understandable.
I currently have a installation that is turning in to Openreach trying to set as many new record for a job as possible.
I ordered a leased line back in March 2021, having previously cancelled one in 2020 due to ECC (identified after survey),it came again with the usual on-site survey and ECC check, all clear now due to other works, and all was processed well Openreach were out and on site un-announced within the week all good until….
They found that there was 2 blockages in their ducting, no biggie.
They said that they would arrange traffic management and be back.
After hearing nothing and decided to chase them a the provider a bit, I was slightly surprised when in July a Openreach surveyor turned up on a Sunday morning again unannounced, knowing nothing about the job and looking to move it forward. I walked the 150m of ducted route and pointed out where the blockages were and what the last team had said and all was good they would arrange it and traffic management would be sorted.
Roll on September and having had nothing more progress with dates still coming and going been missed or just not happening i again went though the process of chasing and was told that there would be a site meeting to discuss and plan. Ok not ideally but especially when they were planning this with 24hours notice.
The people that Openreach sent new nothing of the previous survey and proceed to conduct their own 4th survey.
They then proceeded to come up with a different solution of using overhead poles. A solution that was ruled out in March/April at the first survey. But not before a 5th survey had taken place!
So back to the first option.
Now I should say here that there is a railway line nearby and they Openreach need to get permission from network rail to clear the blockage.
Openreach submitted the request and it was rejected very quickly. Openreach had said that permission had been refused by Network Rail. and in a way it had been but only because they had not sent all the required information through.
Second attempt. Openreach re-submitted. Refused again. This time when I see a copy of what they had submitted it becomes very quickly clear as to why. A 10year old could have written a better risk assessment that what they had sent. Pages missing, pages references and then not there, Dotted lines for inserting information. No risks no location details. (Not sure how it can be a risk assessment if no risks are identified?) Network Rail came up with 28 points that needed to be included or changed before they would consider it.
It is also worth noting here I have a very good direct line of contact with Network Rail.
A web meeting was arranged to discuss this and Openreach promised that it would all be done and dusted and submitted. That date has come and gone and still they haven’t submitted anything that is even like what is requesting!
I have got a complaint open with the provider but the Alternative Disputes Resolution service they used have said that there isn’t a lot they can do due to it been a Openreach issue.
Openreach setting new records?
5 surveys (6 if you count the cancelled one)
10 months.
2 Blockages to clear.
1 slightly annoyed Network Rail
1 very frustrated customer.
1 industry level complaint.
1 ofCom complaint.
Having gone backwards several times you do start to wonder should there be more ability to hold Openreach to account? You can’t complain to them.
I currently have a installation that is turning in to Openreach trying to set as many new record for a job as possible.
I ordered a leased line back in March 2021, having previously cancelled one in 2020 due to ECC (identified after survey),it came again with the usual on-site survey and ECC check, all clear now due to other works, and all was processed well Openreach were out and on site un-announced within the week all good until….
They found that there was 2 blockages in their ducting, no biggie.
They said that they would arrange traffic management and be back.
After hearing nothing and decided to chase them a the provider a bit, I was slightly surprised when in July a Openreach surveyor turned up on a Sunday morning again unannounced, knowing nothing about the job and looking to move it forward. I walked the 150m of ducted route and pointed out where the blockages were and what the last team had said and all was good they would arrange it and traffic management would be sorted.
Roll on September and having had nothing more progress with dates still coming and going been missed or just not happening i again went though the process of chasing and was told that there would be a site meeting to discuss and plan. Ok not ideally but especially when they were planning this with 24hours notice.
The people that Openreach sent new nothing of the previous survey and proceed to conduct their own 4th survey.
They then proceeded to come up with a different solution of using overhead poles. A solution that was ruled out in March/April at the first survey. But not before a 5th survey had taken place!
So back to the first option.
Now I should say here that there is a railway line nearby and they Openreach need to get permission from network rail to clear the blockage.
Openreach submitted the request and it was rejected very quickly. Openreach had said that permission had been refused by Network Rail. and in a way it had been but only because they had not sent all the required information through.
Second attempt. Openreach re-submitted. Refused again. This time when I see a copy of what they had submitted it becomes very quickly clear as to why. A 10year old could have written a better risk assessment that what they had sent. Pages missing, pages references and then not there, Dotted lines for inserting information. No risks no location details. (Not sure how it can be a risk assessment if no risks are identified?) Network Rail came up with 28 points that needed to be included or changed before they would consider it.
It is also worth noting here I have a very good direct line of contact with Network Rail.
A web meeting was arranged to discuss this and Openreach promised that it would all be done and dusted and submitted. That date has come and gone and still they haven’t submitted anything that is even like what is requesting!
I have got a complaint open with the provider but the Alternative Disputes Resolution service they used have said that there isn’t a lot they can do due to it been a Openreach issue.
Openreach setting new records?
5 surveys (6 if you count the cancelled one)
10 months.
2 Blockages to clear.
1 slightly annoyed Network Rail
1 very frustrated customer.
1 industry level complaint.
1 ofCom complaint.
Having gone backwards several times you do start to wonder should there be more ability to hold Openreach to account? You can’t complain to them.























