Contact Openreach engineer

[#1]

Contract has ended and I HAVE to go full fibre but for this to happen I have to have my garden dug up and holes drilled into my house. Openreach called without an appointment when I was out, and texted me diagram of work to be done. I want to discuss this work with engineer before I sign giving permission. Work is substantial and near gas, electric, drains and water connections, but I cannot make contact with Openreach to make an appointment with engineer. Have cancelled contract now and going mobile broadband route but not happy at all. Why is it not possible to make appointment with Openreach engineer?

[#2]

@APB As Plusnet, not you, are Openreach's customer, it  is they who would contact them - if it was possible to arrange what you wanted - which it isn't. 

[#3]

Moderator's note: 
Thread moved from Full Fibre to My Order

[#4]

I HAVE to go full fibre

I want to discuss this work with engineer before I sign giving permission.

Have cancelled contract now and going mobile broadband route

@APB 

So for clarification, are you seeking help/advice. or just complaining that you couldn't make an appointment with Openreach so have cancelled the order?

Work is substantial and near gas, electric, drains and water connections,

Regarding underground telecoms, gas, electricity and electricity, services, there are regulations regarding the depth that these should be buried. The shallowest is telecoms. This is why road works by others so regularly cause phone breakdowns

[#5]

@APB 

OR and their contractors know what they're doing when it comes to buried utilities.

When you were sent the text with the route were you given the option of replying ACCESS?

While an external box needs to be fitted to the wall there is leeway as to where the internal ONT goes. You discuss this with the installer on the day. Have a look at

https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/full-fibre-broadband-installation-checklist#accordion-b43...

Brian

[#6]

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@bmc wrote:

@APB 

OR and their contractors know what they're doing when it comes to buried utilities.

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Usually, maybe, but not always.

Some years ago they came to erect a new pole in the pavement across the road from us and put their auger through the neighbours gas pipe.

After that was repaired they came back a day or so later to try again, moving their intended pole position by, ISTR, about a metre or less and proceeded to drill through our gas pipe.

Each occasion required the attendance of the fire brigade for safety reasons.

The pole was eventually erected.

[#7]

Thank you for your reply. I think I was hoping someone else had had the same problem but had found a way of communicating with the engineers. I cancelled the contract because this has been going on for weeks so if I don't cancel Openreach will. I have seen other similar posts where engineers have turned up, not made themselves known  then just sent an outline plan with a request for permission to do the work. Not a good plan, I think most home owners would like more detail and a conversation with the engineer where an amount of digging is to be done. 

But I appreciate the point that the digging doesn't go too deep, others have commented similarly. 

[#8]

Thank you for your response, the link was helpful.

All direct communication that I have received from Openreach has either been 'noreply' ,or if a SMS text it has come with preset replies for selection, as these replies did not suit what I wanted to say I couldn't do anything!  

[#9]

Mmmmmmm! Maybe that's why I want a conversation with the Engineer!

Thanks for taking the time to respond

[#10]

@APB 

When replying to a specific post it makes reading responses much easier if you start be typing @ and selecting the addressee from the drop down list.

So now that you have cancelled you will have to start again, first by deciding whether to go mobile as suggested in your original post, going back to Openreach or to an Altnet, should one be available in your area.

Did you have any objections to the original route, could you suggest a better one for you or are you just upset because you were not consulted? If the route was acceptable I would concentrate efforts on making sure that I was available when they came to install the duct. Can you block access if no-one is home?

I have seen two types of duct. My connection is via a 2 inch duct, buried in a trench about 150mm under the lawn. This, with my permission, has been teed off to my neighbour. Here Openreach simply used about 1-2 metres of flexible conduit about 15-20 mm diameter that they installed by lifting the lawn turf, sliding the conduit underneath and dropping the turf back down.

So if my experience is typical, don't expect major earthworks. 

[#11]

@Baldrick1 "Here Openreach simply used about 1-2 metres of flexible conduit about 15-20 mm diameter that they installed by lifting the lawn turf, sliding the conduit underneath and dropping the turf back down."

That's going to make aerating the lawn with a fork, fun.... 😧

[#12]

Very true, mine wouldn't stand any serious digging either: