How long for Openreach to replace a section of rodent damaged underground cable?

[#1]

I reported a loss of service to Plusnet on the 16th of March, and have had vague updates along the way.

On the 21st of March, rodent damage to underground cables at the box round the corner was identified. I am being told that Openreach will give an update on the 27th of March - in the meantime I am left with a total loss of phone and internet for the last 11 days.

Are Openreach that slow to resolve things? Plusnet say they cannot even escalate to Openreach until after the 27th.

Surely it does not take them a week to replace a 50m section of cable? Anyone got any experience of how they work and if this is typicalof their service?

[#2]

@petercam1 Openreach work a bit like Post Office Telephones of old - to their schedules, with no regard for customers. Having got that off my chest, there are other considerations - engineer availability, complexity of the work involved, need for permissions to dig, and numerous others. If OR say the next update is the 27th, then the 27th it is, they will not budge, even if PN ask.

[#3]

It may also need some roadworks, depending on where the damaged cable is, the state of any ducts and such like.  If that's needed, them it may also be waiting on others, such as the council.

[#4]

thank for the info ... this is what I have in my fault log update ...

DCOE Notes: PLUSNET PLC please be advised job requires new 50m 2x 20pair cable section required to replace rodent damaged cable. Spoke to patch lead who confirmed to hold the task till next week, he will let us know when can we make the task live for cable replacement. Hence 1st urgent action email has been sent to PM/PL awaiting response within 24 hours. Review the tracker on 29-03-2023 for more update.

Sounds to me like Openreach will do nothing until the 27th, and it will be scheduled sometime after that. I can't really see any reason for the delay, as you allude to, that appears to be how it is with them.

[#5]

It's not necessarily that nothing is happening.  More likely department A have reported it to department B, and they are saying that department A will chase department B on it next week.

It's likely to be affecting a number of people though, and would be pretty high priority.  So hopefully it won't be too long.

[#6]

Thanks for all the replies, I meant to say the 29th of March. Hopefully they are working behind the scenes and it’s fixed soon.

[#7]

Good luck.  I hope all is fixed soon.