How long does it take to get a line installed during a house move in a new build

[#1]

My brother moved house (new house build but within an existing development) however the cabling and duct work still hasn't been undertaken (latest update today) and the next update is now 12/9? The dates just keep shifting and when you phone they can tell him nothing useful at all. So really just interested in what is a reasonable timeframe for this sort of work to be completed? He moved in 7 August but had phoned them mid July to warn them about the move. It's the fact that he's getting no clear information other than the work still hasn't been completed and no answer as to when he might expect it to completed.

[#2]

Who is doing the duct work/cabling to the house in this case? It's normally the developer or a contractor for the developer.
Openreach usually then take over the ductwork/cabling once they are happy it's been done to their specification and standards.

[#3]

Not sure where the issue lies as Plusnet aren't telling us anything useful other than "our suppliers" which I have assumed they mean whatever BT branch deals with this work. Here's the messages:
10/8/15:

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I have called our suppliers and sadly there is still external work to be done. This won't be complete until 18/08/15. Once this is done we will then be able to book your final engineer appointment. I am sorry as this is not the news either of us wanted.

10/8/15

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As discussed our suppliers have advised the on site cabling work which is required is due to be competed by 18/8/2015 once complete we will be bale to progress your order. We will place your account on hold till then and will be back in contact. Sorry for any Inconvenience caused.

18/8/15

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The supplier informs that the work is complete and they are carrying out a final survey today to tick everything off. We are to check back with them tomorrow and all being well we can then proceed with an appointment to install your new line.

In light of what you have said perhaps this indicates an issue with the site work if it wasn't ticked off
19/8/15

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Thanks for your time on the phone today. The suppliers will provide the next update on 21/08/15. I will check the order tracker and telephone order's progress on this day, then call you with an update in the morning.

21/8/15

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Per our conversation today, I am very sorry for the delay, The order is with Line-plant Works Team for cable and jointing work. The Estimated Completion Date 31/08/2015 we will check on this on the 1/09/2015 and update you accordingly.

So this would seem to indicate that the issue probably isn't with the way the builders left this but something that BT should be doing
27/8/15

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1. The work set to complete on 31/08/2015 is the external cable and jointing work which relates to needed to connection outside your new property. 2. As it stands, this is on schedule. There are no notes from our suppliers to indicate this has been pushed back further. 3. Once this work is completed, the order should move to frames work in the exchange which is usually the final stage before the actual final installation.

1/9/15

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The suppliers are still, yet to complete the cabling, ducting work ect. The next review date is the 12/09/2015. I am very sorry for the delays.

1/9/15

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This is shocking bad service from Open reach & plus net, I would like to think as plus net has been my provider for many years you would be able to push open reach into getting some firm answers as I knew your next reply would be another date, and the same will happen again after the 12th of Sept. I do not hold any hope anymore. Rather than being fobbed each month I would just like some genuine answers because someone is not being straight with their answers.

My brother and his wife now had up to the neck with all this.
Make of that what you will. Looks to me the issues are all BT. Are there no SLAs in place about when this sort of work should be completed or is just if they fancy doing it that day?

[#4]

Quote from: andun84

In light of what you have said perhaps this indicates an issue with the site work if it wasn't ticked off

It looks like this is the case.
If you look at Page 6 here, https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/network/developingournetwork/documentationandinformation/build... it would appear that your brother's new build got stuck here: "Our New Sites Representative signs off satisfactory completion"
Maybe this delay in getting it signed off has created a backlog for the rest of the work to be done by Openreach. Unfortunately, there is very little you can do other than keep phoning/pushing.

[#5]

Hi yes I would agree that was the case at that time however who are the Line-Plant Works Team that have been mentioned since the 21/8? Are they part of BT or contracted by BT or by our Builders? It's not a name I or my brother recognise and googing suggest that they are BT affiliated so it looks like the delays are now with BT and not the Builders. More appallingly the call they are mention in was part of a thread where the customer was without a phone for 6 months 
He runs an online business from home and it cost him a lot of money for the first couple of weeks as put the ebay part of the business on hold until we just knew this was going to take forever so I got him set up with a 3 mifi box which for £23 gives him 20GB of data was very reasonable. Only 2-3Mbps connection but at least enough to get him online and up and running again. Unfortunately today and for two further days over the next couple of weeks they are carrying out works on the masts which will take between 6-8 hours each day. So he was offline all day today also. Highly unfortunate timing and it's the only network where he gets a half decent signal (1-2 bars). He only moved round the corner but his mobile connection on 02 went from 4 bars to very poor or no connection so even his mobile coverage is causing problems too. So all in all it's proved a very stressful move.

[#6]

Sorry to hear about the delay in your brother's provision.
Do you have the ticket number/username for his account? I'd like to investigate, but can only locate the details linked to your Community Forums username.
Matty

[#7]

Hi Thanks Matty. His ticket number is: 107571825 .

[#8]

Thanks for this.
What I don't think has been mentioned, is that there is also a blockage in some of the existing ducting. I assume that this was discovered upon getting some of the works done, as it was discovered late on the afternoon of 27/08/2015 (after you received your update).
What's annoying here is that we're now waiting on contractors delegated by Openreach to get this done. They have given us a line availability date (LAD) of 11/09. Hope this clarifies it a bit.

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yet to complete the cabling, ducting work ect.

I'm not sure in what world the agent found that update acceptable so I'll have a word with his manager. In the meantime, I'll be happy to provide updates if you want to let me know when you're due an update.
Matty

[#9]

Thanks Matty. At last some clarity on the reason things were delayed again. That comes as a bit of a relief as there is a big difference between no work having effectively been completed and blockage in work already completed. He's for grateful for your update and would appreciate any further updates you can provide. His next update was due on 12/9 however I'm a little confused on that. You say there is a line availability date of 11/9 and this:
http://www.btglossary.co.uk/index.php?title=LAD
would seem to indicate that a line availability date is the date by which he should have a working phone line. If that glossary is right then I'd expect an earlier update is required to arrange the Engineer's visit to connect the line to the internal wiring in the house and fit the phone socket. If that is correct then please contact him as you are able to arrange the booking.
As this has dragged on a bit I'm just putting on the record that he requires his old number to be reinstated on this new line. This was requested when made the original call to advise of the house move. He has only moved round the corner and is on the same exchange.
As regards the broadband. From reading the forums here it looks looks like the order can't be placed for it until line is in and working and on the correct number. Is that correct? How long after that will it take until he is likely to have a broadband connection? Does it still require and Engineer's visit? He was on fibre in his old property and the telephone number will be same and the account details presumably the same so he should really just be able to plug the modem and router in and be good to go without any need for an Engineer (probably wishful thinking).
Thanks again for your help.

[#10]

Quote from: andun84

Not sure where the issue lies as Plusnet aren't telling us anything useful other than "our suppliers" which I have assumed they mean whatever BT branch deals with this work.

And that is very much the issue (see http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,139693.0.html) - all too often BTOR do not provide the information ISPs need to answer their customer's reasonable questions.  Indeed it is evident that BTOR even tell lies.
In my experience, BTOR simply set the next update date as now +7 days.  PlusNet's update will then be set the day after.  In this case, it could be that the line has been scheduled by BTOR for the 11th and PlusNet will seek an update on the 12th, hopefully at that time, there will be confirmation that its been done.

[#11]

Reading through the thread it is still not clear whether the fault(s) is/are in the builder's area or the OpenReach part. Generally on a new build the construction company is supposed to provide ducting into and within the building and a location for BT to terminate its line. For the sake of discussion I'll call this point the Distribution Frame. Usually the building contractor/owner arranges for telecom cabling from the Frame to the accommodation/ apartment/ office. The OpenReach engineers install cables from the street to the frame. They use the in-building cabling system to connect the modem/phone in your accommodation.  If there's no in-building cabling system BT OpenReach may install cables to the premises/ apartment often at an additional cost. To achieve this they may need to seek written wayleave permission from one or more landlords.
If the developer is building new roads on the estate, they are supposed to arrange the installation of ducting, manholes in the footpath pavements leading up to the building. BT installs cables from the perimeter of the estate into the buildings. BT specify standards to which this work should follow.
There's many opportunities for this process to go wrong if the developer doesn't do a good job or a casual navvy leaves a blob of concrete in a duct.  The corporate structure of OpenReach, and rules imposed by Ofcom make OpenReach particularly poor at communication during an installation. It doesn't that PlusNet tend to use management speak with the end client.
In the good old days you'd buy the engineer a pint to find out what was the cause. The only recourse you have is to keep clear notes and demand escalation if you are given the run around

[#12]

Guess what. Ticket updated:
Update Thursday 10/9/15

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Placed on hold as next update from Openreach on 14/09/15 This Question is now on hold until Tuesday 15th September at 7:00am.

And yet another delay and no explanation. Great communication. How you win awards for Customer Services is beyond both of us at this stage as the communication is rubbish.

[#13]

PlusNET can only communicate what BTOR advise and it us they who are poor at communications.  See link in reply #9.
I would suspect that BTOR has the job out with their sub-contractors and do not have a clue what is happening and are not overly bothered about being proactive.

[#14]

Well if you see MattyC response it is clear also that the information being provided by CS staff is also wrong so you cannot lay everything at the door of BTOR in respect of communication. At the end of the day Plusnet are the Company supposed to be supplying the service and we are not allowed to contact BT directly so I will continue to seek real answers and not generic responses to each delay.

[#15]

Completely agree with you on everything except the rules.  If you want to influence things, break the rules and write to the CEO of BTOR - name and email address are easy enough to find.  Posting them here is likely to lead to moderation so I'll not do that.
PlusNET is the company you've bought the service from, but it's BTw/BTOR who supply the service.  PlusNET do not supply (make, construct or manage) the service and BTw/BTOR do not sell service to end consumers.
It's not so different to buying gas from an electric company but being unable to get it because you are waiting for Centrica to connect your property to the gas mains.
By all means try to seek real answers from PlusNET, but do not be disappointed if they are not available to them.  Manage your expectations and create your own good fortune; break the rules if that Is what it takes.  I did and the phone service went live on Thursday and the fibre is scheduled for Monday.  Left alone, that might have taken BTOR another two months.