Upgrading from Copper to fibre Problem

[#1]

When we told Plusnet we were moving house, they offered us fibre for the same price as copper. They said install was very straight forward, there would be no down time and it involved drilling a small hole through the wall.

I arrived at our new house on 16 November and the earliest Plusnet could install fibre after that was 2nd December.

However on 2 December the Openreach engineer said there was a problem, the copper could not be removed from the duct, and she could not install fibre. But on 10th December our immediate neighbour had fibre installed in 3 hours from another Openreach engineer.

At this point, we entered the rabbit hole where no one body will take responsibility. We were then referred to PTW, filled out a form and a date of 9 January for the 'civil works' to be completed. We contacted Plusnet (phone only available), the service provider, and they said they could do nothing but raised a ticket. Openreach are uncontactable and say deal with your service provider anyway.

Today 11 December we received a message saying a Chief Engineer is dealing with it and it's linked to roadworks and to be patient!!

If we had known how bureaucratic and what very poor service the Plusnet/BT/Openreach fibre install was, we would would have stayed with copper and indeed switched to another company.

We feel we were mis-sold the fibre package and locked unfairly into a 24 month contract. A small hole drilled through the wall, no down time, a very simple quick install. It turned out to be anything but. This has ruined our house move as we have no wifi and the mobile data signal is very poor in the area. We have to go out to get a decent signal and have had to buy more mobile data. We wish we had switched to another company offering standard broadband.

[#2]

@boughtalot 

Can you post a screen image of the results from the following, including the narrative below the results window but hiding your details. Use the Address version - enter your post code and select the address from the drop down list.

It is possible nothing but Full Fibre is available to you therefore choosing another ISP would have made no difference.

Brian

[#3]

@bmc  You seem to have omitted the checker link from your post

@boughtalot  this is the required link Broadband Checker 

[#4]

@RealAleMadrid 

Ops! Sorry about that. Thanks for posting the link.

Brian

[#5]

I cannot see anywhere to input my address on the link and am not familiar with any of the boxes eg UPRN, or where you get the figures from. I do have an Openreach order reference circuit number.
The engineer has installed a fibre box for the router in the house but cannot complete the entry into the house from the porch. Strangely neighbour, same style house, has not had any such problem.

[#6]

Strangely neighbour, same style house, has not had any such problem.

Different duct?

[#7]

You were provided the incorrect link , try the address version

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome 

As what @jab1 says, your description suggest there is damage to the duct to your property

[#8]

@Dan_the_Van  Excuse me, the link I provided was perfectly correct, it isn't that difficult to select the address checker at the top of the page as @bmc had instructed. 🙄

[#9]

Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Handback
Threshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability WBC SOGEA Availability
High Low High Low
VDSL Range A (Clean) help 75 55 20 15.1 49 Unavailable Exception
VDSL Range B (Impacted) help 74 52.7 20 14.3 44 Unavailable Exception
G.fast Range A (Clean) help -- -- -- -- -- Unavailable --
G.fast Range B (Impacted) help -- -- -- -- -- Unavailable --
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install Process
WBC FTTP Up to 1000 Up to 220 -- Available 1 Stage
Other Offerings Availability Date
VDSL Multicast Available
Exchange Product Restrictions Status
FTTP Priority Exchange Y
WLR Withdrawal Y
SOADSL Restriction N
Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG premises served by 2.5 Inch plastic duct 56.

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.

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

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange





For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

This site is in an FTTP priority area where FTTP is available but exceptionally SOGEA will also show as available to order but only at Non-Standard Premises (NSP) such as Hot site, Uninhabitable and Temporary locations. Migrations of WLR Solus (voice-only lines) is also allowed but only for SOGEA 0.5Mbps bandwidths. SOGEA 40/10 bandwidths order is also allowed.




Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.











In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.



If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service






ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL availability: If shown at FTTP or SOGEA premises,ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL are not available to order due to WLR Withdrawal stop sell rules. CPs should order FTTP or SOGEA. Copper products are only available by exception.

Thank you for your interest

[#10]

These are the important parts of your search

'As a fibre priority exchange, FTTP has priority over other products if available at the address
As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply'

Therefore that is why you were only offered FTTP

[#11]

@boughtalot 

Thanks for the information.

It's as I thought

"FTTP Priority Exchange Y

As a fibre priority exchange, FTTP has priority over other products if available at the address
As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply"

FTTP is available so no other product will be offered. The exceptions I believe relate to where it's physically impossible to install FTTP at this time.

As FF can be installed (abeit with complications) then nowt else is available. You're at the mercy of OpenReach.

It would have made no difference which ISP you chose.

Brian

[#12]

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to My Order

[#13]

---

@bmc wrote:

It would have made no difference which ISP you chose.

---

Apart from the fact that some ISPs are better at managing OpenReach than others (A&A probably being best - that's what you pay for) - Plusnet don't even try. 

[#14]

@corringham  In this case since FTTP is showing as available (although some work is required) Openreach will not offer any other product and this would apply to all ISPs.

[#15]

@RealAleMadrid, that is true - but what's happening to get FTTP installed?

Edit: Or even what is happening to provide the OP with any kind of broadband - some ISPs would have offered a Mifi 4G solution in the interim.