topic Re: Failed Engineer visit in My Order

Failed Engineer visit

dougjbarnes1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:43:16 GMT

Was due to be upgraded to Full Fibre today (14 July 2026)

We were promised a site investigation before install but none occurred.

Engineer arrived, but decided that he'd need assistance in installing the fibre, both to the property AND within the property.

He advised they'd be back with an alternative date (OK) but this evening I got a text from openreach that suggested that the failed install was my fault, and that I should book a later appointment, starting from 20th July.

As we'd got up early for the 08:00 arrival, the engineer arriving at ~09:00, then THIS inferring it as my fault is pretty appalling.

Surely as a long term customer, more than 11 years now, we deserve better?

Re: Failed Engineer visit

jab1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:52:57 GMT

@dougjbarnes1 Sounds very much like you got an engineer who didn't like the look of the job, so reported it as a 'no access' issue, so it made it look like a customer fail, rather than his lack of enthusiasm. I suggest you call PN, explain what happened and ask them to raise a complaint with OR - AND get you an expedited install.

You can't blame Plusnet for Openreach's failings.

Re: Failed Engineer visit

dougjbarnes1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:17:55 GMT

Engineer was quite friendly, he's fitted the two bits for the fibre connection, it's just the length of fibre runs that need two people (that I'd guessed before they even arrived)

is it possible email PN directly?

Re: Failed Engineer visit

jab1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:19:45 GMT

no, there is no email for PN support. Is this an overhead or underground installation?

Re: Failed Engineer visit

dougjbarnes1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:11:40 GMT

overhead, cable to house ~150M,

inside house ~40M

Re: Failed Engineer visit

jab1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:17:34 GMT

They should be able to handle that, although ~40m inside sounds a little strange. Is that the same length as the current internal copper?

Re: Failed Engineer visit

LSAS — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:59:47 GMT

This is indeed a "failed engineer", not a real one, just some re-titled low grade technician, lacking much in the way of technical skill. We had one (Openreach) a while ago. Installing network stuff but didn't even know what DNS or Ping was, and all snotty about its ignorance. And, of course You, the victim, are at fault but (importantly) still get to pay. What's not to like?

Re: Failed Engineer visit

jab1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:06:27 GMT

With respect, @LSAS if it was a BT installation engineer, they do not need to know about DNS or ping to install cabling - all they need to know is how to safely install the kit. Although I'm a tad confused - I didn't realise their responsibilities went beyond the master socket/ONT?

Re: Failed Engineer visit

dougjbarnes1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:49:25 GMT

yes it's about that. It's a large bungalow, then entry point is a large garage on the front, the feed goes from front to back, then opposite corner then a similar distance inside the bungalow to the current router, which was by the Master Connector for copper. I don't want to move the router as I've a 1GB ethernet feed to a NAS and similar to a WIFI Extension unit originating at the router. Allows for high speed from the NAS to anywhere in the home via Wifi

Re: Failed Engineer visit

mystreet1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:17:41 GMT

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that the internal fibre cable is only 10m.
Don't see how they can run a ~40m internal fibre.

Re: Failed Engineer visit

Townman — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:51:26 GMT

The standard internal fibre install length is indeed 10m, the maximum is circa 30m.

However, note the ONT does not need to be colocated alongside the router. There is nothing to stop users making their own arrangement for connecting the router (wherever the wish to locate it) to the ONT (wherever BT Openreach wish to locate it) with up to 100m of decent Ethernet cable.

Re: Failed Engineer visit

Baldrick1 — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:12:38 GMT

@dougjbarnes1 wrote:

...

inside house ~40M

It reads to me that the requested internal cabling requirements far exceeds those required to satisfy the contract to provide an internal connection. To avoid telling you something that you did not wish to hear the installer found an excuse to leave the job half done.

I would suggest that you choose a more practicable location for the ONT. This should be in the room where the fibre will enter the property and within 1m of a power socket. The installer will only drill through an external wall. This might be different to the current entry point. From the chosen ONT location point install your own CAT 5e or better Ethernet cable from there to where you wish to locate the Router. This can be up to 100m long.

You can use faster rated Ethernet cable but be aware that these are a bit thicker and stiffer, so are not as easy to route around corners.