topic Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem in My Order

Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

boughtalot — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:10:39 GMT

When we told Plusnet we were moving house, they offered us fibre for the same price as copper. They said install was very straight forward, there would be no down time and it involved drilling a small hole through the wall.

I arrived at our new house on 16 November and the earliest Plusnet could install fibre after that was 2nd December.

However on 2 December the Openreach engineer said there was a problem, the copper could not be removed from the duct, and she could not install fibre. But on 10th December our immediate neighbour had fibre installed in 3 hours from another Openreach engineer.

At this point, we entered the rabbit hole where no one body will take responsibility. We were then referred to PTW, filled out a form and a date of 9 January for the 'civil works' to be completed. We contacted Plusnet (phone only available), the service provider, and they said they could do nothing but raised a ticket. Openreach are uncontactable and say deal with your service provider anyway.

Today 11 December we received a message saying a Chief Engineer is dealing with it and it's linked to roadworks and to be patient!!

If we had known how bureaucratic and what very poor service the Plusnet/BT/Openreach fibre install was, we would would have stayed with copper and indeed switched to another company.

We feel we were mis-sold the fibre package and locked unfairly into a 24 month contract. A small hole drilled through the wall, no down time, a very simple quick install. It turned out to be anything but. This has ruined our house move as we have no wifi and the mobile data signal is very poor in the area. We have to go out to get a decent signal and have had to buy more mobile data. We wish we had switched to another company offering standard broadband.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

bmc — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:35:59 GMT

@boughtalot

Can you post a screen image of the results from the following, including the narrative below the results window but hiding your details. Use the Address version - enter your post code and select the address from the drop down list.

It is possible nothing but Full Fibre is available to you therefore choosing another ISP would have made no difference.

Brian

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

RealAleMadrid — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:45:09 GMT

@bmc You seem to have omitted the checker link from your post

@boughtalot this is the required link Broadband Checker

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

bmc — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:56:38 GMT

@RealAleMadrid

Ops! Sorry about that. Thanks for posting the link.

Brian

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

boughtalot — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:58:37 GMT

I cannot see anywhere to input my address on the link and am not familiar with any of the boxes eg UPRN, or where you get the figures from. I do have an Openreach order reference circuit number.
The engineer has installed a fibre box for the router in the house but cannot complete the entry into the house from the porch. Strangely neighbour, same style house, has not had any such problem.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

jab1 — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:00:51 GMT

Strangely neighbour, same style house, has not had any such problem.

Different duct?

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

Dan_the_Van — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:04:04 GMT

You were provided the incorrect link , try the address version

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

As what @jab1 says, your description suggest there is damage to the duct to your property

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

RealAleMadrid — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:41:06 GMT

@Dan_the_Van Excuse me, the link I provided was perfectly correct, it isn't that difficult to select the address checker at the top of the page as @bmc had instructed. 🙄

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

boughtalot — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 20:37:17 GMT

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Handback
Threshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability WBC SOGEA Availability
High Low High Low
VDSL Range A (Clean) help 75 55 20 15.1 49 Unavailable Exception
VDSL Range B (Impacted) help 74 52.7 20 14.3 44 Unavailable Exception
G.fast Range A (Clean) help -- -- -- -- -- Unavailable --
G.fast Range B (Impacted) help -- -- -- -- -- Unavailable --
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install Process
WBC FTTP Up to 1000 Up to 220 -- Available 1 Stage
Other Offerings Availability Date
VDSL Multicast Available
Exchange Product Restrictions Status
FTTP Priority Exchange Y
WLR Withdrawal Y
SOADSL Restriction N
Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG premises served by 2.5 Inch plastic duct 56.

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.

As a fibre priority exchange, FTTP has priority over other products if available at the address

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

This site is in an FTTP priority area where FTTP is available but exceptionally SOGEA will also show as available to order but only at Non-Standard Premises (NSP) such as Hot site, Uninhabitable and Temporary locations. Migrations of WLR Solus (voice-only lines) is also allowed but only for SOGEA 0.5Mbps bandwidths. SOGEA 40/10 bandwidths order is also allowed.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL availability: If shown at FTTP or SOGEA premises,ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL are not available to order due to WLR Withdrawal stop sell rules. CPs should order FTTP or SOGEA. Copper products are only available by exception.

Thank you for your interest

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

mystreet1 — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:09:37 GMT

These are the important parts of your search

'As a fibre priority exchange, FTTP has priority over other products if available at the address
As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply'

Therefore that is why you were only offered FTTP

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

bmc — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 22:29:45 GMT

@boughtalot

Thanks for the information.

It's as I thought

"FTTP Priority Exchange Y

As a fibre priority exchange, FTTP has priority over other products if available at the address
As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply"

FTTP is available so no other product will be offered. The exceptions I believe relate to where it's physically impossible to install FTTP at this time.

As FF can be installed (abeit with complications) then nowt else is available. You're at the mercy of OpenReach.

It would have made no difference which ISP you chose.

Brian

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

Baldrick1 — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 22:54:51 GMT

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to My Order

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

corringham — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:28:53 GMT

@bmc wrote:

It would have made no difference which ISP you chose.

Apart from the fact that some ISPs are better at managing OpenReach than others (A&A probably being best - that's what you pay for) - Plusnet don't even try.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

RealAleMadrid — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:58:22 GMT

@corringham In this case since FTTP is showing as available (although some work is required) Openreach will not offer any other product and this would apply to all ISPs.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

corringham — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:39:17 GMT

@RealAleMadrid, that is true - but what's happening to get FTTP installed?

Edit: Or even what is happening to provide the OP with any kind of broadband - some ISPs would have offered a Mifi 4G solution in the interim.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

Baldrick1 — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:12:46 GMT

@corringham wrote:

@RealAleMadrid, that is true - but what's happening to get FTTP installed?

What is happening is that a dig team has been booked to clear/replace the duct. We don’t know the details, it might need all sorts of permissions if this is exterior to the property boundary.

In this sort is situation I think that you will find that if you pay for a premium ISP the speed of resolution is unlikely to be different. Yes, they may be more proactive in apologising and even advising that their attempt to escalate progress had been rejected, but they will still have to wait for Openreach to do the work.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

corringham — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:34:19 GMT

@Baldrick1, my experience has been that some ISPs are keen to fulfil the customer's order (and some really do get OR to perform better). When they have delays they keep the customer informed regularly, and mitigate by providing stop-gap workarounds (such as 4G). Plusnet are not good at this.

I've personally been called by OR engineers to keep me informed of what's happening because the ISP asked them to.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

mystreet1 — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:46:15 GMT

Another option could be that you investigate where the blockage in the duct is. If it is on your land you could investigate further and remove the blockage. Believe that someone on here did exactly that.

Re: Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

boughtalot — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 15:38:44 GMT

Thank you all so much for your help in understanding what's going on. Today Openreach engineers turned up and tried to put on a new cable. After working very hard at this, they were unable to. The box is some distance from the house and follows an undulating route. So next stage is to dig up a point about halfway between the two. I have learnt more from this forum and the engineers today, than in several weeks of communicating with Plusnet. Still unresolved, but thanks again anyway.