Will Router Fit Through Letterbox?

[#1]

I have a fibre installation date coming up for my new property but aren't actually staying there (as there's no internet or phone signal).

Can't understand any logical reason why the router is posted rather than just brought by the installation engineer, but that aside:

- Might it fit through the letterbox?

- Do they provide a very specific delivery time slot?

- Could it be delivered to a different address?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@entozoon 

The packaging allows for the router to be posted through a normal letterbox, it is delivered by the normal post - so comes when that comes, but if for any reason they can't get it through, it will be returned to the delivery office and a card left. You then have a 'window of collection', after which time it will be returned to sender.

Note, these are sent by 24/48 hour Tracked Delivery, and the tracking number is advised on your PN account once it is posted.

You can of course ring Plusnet and ask them to arrange delivery to an alternative address, if it has not already been processed.

[#3]

That's great news, thanks. Surprised to hear it should fit through the letterbox actually but that's great

[#4]

---

@entozoon wrote:

Can't understand any logical reason why the router is posted rather than just brought by the installation engineer...

---

Just on this point, there are probably a few reasons including:

• not all activations will require an engineer visit, and the hubs are sometimes needed to be replaced.  If the engineer also had them then they'd need to support multiple methods of getting a router to the customer and there would likely be much more to go wrong with it.
• The installations are done by by Openreach (or Openreach's contractor) for all of the ISPs that use Openreach.  Openreach don't have stock of the ISPs equipment, and I'd think it would be a very complex and troublesome process for them to do that.  The hub that Plusnet send out is tied to the account that it's intended for so that it auto sets itself up.  Each ISP probably implements this kind of setup differently, and some may not even do that.  Imagine if each ISP had to get a specific hub to a specific engineer who will be only getting their workload last minute, and even have jobs changed whilst they are out on the road

[#5]

Didn't know Openreach did the installations, that does make sense.

I'm not going to point out the absurdity of the whole situation or talk about nationalising the internet as a service.. this isn't the time or place, but.. yeah.

On your very last point - imagining ISPs had specific engineers and routers - that is how it used to work, isn't it? (not that that's better)

[#6]

On your last point above, @entozoon  - no, never.

[#7]

I don't recall any ISP that uses Openreach having their own engineers doing installations within the Openreach network, unless you are going back to when there was only BT where the only phone provider and also "owned" the network.

I would imagine it would be an absolute nightmare if Openreach (or any other network provider) allowed anyone to go playing with their infrastructure to do an install or migration.

[#8]

---

@pjmarsh wrote:

if Openreach (or any other network provider) allowed anyone to go playing with their infrastructure to do an install or migration.

---

They wouldn't - OR are fiercely  protective of their infrastructure - I recall an incident many years ago when I had a problem, they sent a (if I recall correctly) a Kellys engineer to sort it, the problem required access to the exchange, and I had to wait for an OR engineer to be assigned - Kellys weren't allowed in the exchange. 

[#9]

@jab1, sorry if my point wasn't clear.  I was meaning that they wouldn't do it because there would be such a massive chance of it causing major problems.  I totally get why they all our so protective over their own networks.

[#10]

In terms of the big ISPs, AFAIK Virgin Media is the only ISP who does their own installation for their customers, but that is a totally different paradigm.

Perversely that might something which will change - having gone from just a single network provider (BT Openreach) my little cul-de-sac in semi-rural North Cheshire village in now served by THREE different FTTP network providers, one being Talk Talk.  Thus I can see the possibility that Talk Talk users night see an ISP provided engineer doing the installation, much like Sky used to do for their satellite receivers and in-property kit.