Engineer Visit Booked Despite Website Saying It Wasn't Needed?

[#1]

Good morning,

I've just recently bought a new build and booked my broadband to be activated on Friday - when going through the process, the website said I wouldn't need a visit from an engineer and it should be activated in 3 working days.

However, I've woken up this morning and had an email to say that I've got an engineer due to come on the 12th September (which I'm actually not around for!) and I was just a little confused! I've attached an image of the Openreach box which is in the cupboard under my stairs and there is also a grey Openreach box on the front of my house.

Any help would be appreciated!

[#2]

Hi,

During the initial ordering process , the automated system detects that there is an existing ONT ( the Openreach box ) and determines that a 'remote activation' is possible i.e no engineer visit required.

It seems that later on in the process, sometimes the system ( not sure if its Openreach or Plusnet ) cannot verify that the ONT is operational and so requests an engineer visit.

Its probably best to call customer services and establish exactly what the problem is.

[#3]

Hi @gareth89 Sorry for any confusion. As it's a new build an engineer will need to come out to run the fibre cabling into your home and set up the ONT. Are there any other dates you'd like to try for? - Adam

[#4]

That makes sense, thanks for the reply!

Thursday 14th September could work if that’s possible?

[#5]

@adamwalker  the picture posted by @gareth89 looks like there already is an ONT !

Given that the PON light is showing ON , surely there must already be a fibre connection ?

Its not unusual for OR to pre-install fibre and an ONT in new builds

[#6]

Further to above , I hadn't seen that style of ONT previously so went looking...

Seems its an ONT with casing, designed to be self-installed by developers onto a standard backbox.

Inside is a standard Nokia or Huawei single port ONT with the led's visible through the panel

See video here https://www.openreach.com/building-developers-and-projects/fibre-for-developers/how-to-self-install-...

That seems to fit with being a new build. The developers have pre-installed the ONT and fibre and Openreach have connected it up at some time during the build.

The only problem I can see would be that the ONT serial number may not be registered to the address ?

[#7]

@MisterW 

The video on the link you provided states that an OR engineer still needs to visit the property to finalise things.

Brian

[#8]

@bmc yes it does. It shows the developer installing to the point where the ONT is installed and showing LOS i.e no fibre connection.

One assumes at some point the developer requests OR to come and connect a number of ONT's to the fibre.

In the OP's case , the LOS light is out and PON is GREEN which means that there must be a fibre connection and so OR have connected it ( and presumably recorded the barcoded s/no )

@gareth89 what would be useful is to see the results from the BTwholesale address checker https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

Enter the postcode and selcet the address from the dropdown

Most interesting would be the narrative below the available services table.

For example mine shows

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential OH Feed with no anticipated issues.

ONT exists with active service. No spare ports are available. A new ONT may be ordered.

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

I would expect yours to say something like

ONT exists with no active service.

[#9]

@gareth89 Just to check, have you got the ONT powered on at the moment? Just want to check before I make changes to the order.

[#10]

@MisterW I’ve just tried that and it said the following -

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Feed with no anticipated issues.

ONT exists with no active service. A spare port is available. A new ONT may be ordered.

[#11]

@adamwalker yeah it’s plugged in in my cupboard under the stairs - haven’t touched it since I got the property

[#12]

ONT exists with no active service. A spare port is available. A new ONT may be ordered. 

@gareth89 that's what I expected. It means that Openreach know there is an ONT already installed.

As long as it's powered then Adam should be able to test that its active and change the order to remote activation.

[#13]

Hi @gareth89 I've been in touch with Openreach, a test on the ONT failed which means we'll need to go ahead with an enginer visit. I've managed to change the booking to the AM slot (08:00 to 13:00) on the 14th for you. 

[#14]

@adamwalker not to worry, thanks for that!

[#15]

No probs! Sorry for any hassle and at least you can be sure the service will be up and running properly.