Openreach - how long at the "connect" stage??

motorguy
motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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in Techie Stuff
We're in what is described as a "rural" area (even though we only 8 miles from two cities), and have been suffering frankly !!!! poor broadband speeds since we moved here. It started at 250KB/s, peaked at 1.2MB/s and has now dropped again to 900KB/s.

A BT / Openreach engineer installed a new cabinet down the road back in may and said the local area was being rigged up for fibre broadband.

We have been checking the Openreach site since then and its sat at the "We're connecting power to the new fibre cabinet and joining the new fibre lines to the existing copper network. You can't order a fibre service today but typically it'll be available to your premises within the next four months." Connect status since then.

When we ring BT or Openreach to ask about progress they just seem to look up the website and say "it will be four months"

Has anyone any experience of being through this process as to how long it might take (5 months now and counting) OR is there a number we can ring to find out a more accurate timescale? I've tried the openreach site but it does it best just to direct you to Q&A pages rather than give any useful contact info?

We're currently paying around £90 a month for Sky as we cant stream via broadband so theres a significant cost to us for these delays and also a great amount of frustration when it comes to try and do anything internet related.

Can anyone shed any light?
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Comments

  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    Thought i'd found a phone number for them there, but when you ring it directs you to their website.

    On their website i found a "contact us" button but this simply directs you to a webform and they say they'll "aim to reply in 10 working days".

    Frankly !!!! poor.
  • John_Gray
    John_Gray Posts: 5,821 Forumite
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    Openreach are a law unto themselves, similar to, but not as bad as BT, which in the old days (sixties and seventies) could see years before the installation of a phone line, which you had to beg for on bended knees.

    "It will be installed when we choose to install it..."
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    John_Gray wrote: »
    Openreach are a law unto themselves, similar to, but not as bad as BT, which in the old days (sixties and seventies) could see years before the installation of a phone line, which you had to beg for on bended knees.

    "It will be installed when we choose to install it..."

    Yes, i'm quickly coming to that conclusion also.

    I'd get satellite broadband in if i thought there was no hope of fibre any time soon as 900kb/s is almost unusable these days - websites are designed with the expectation you have fast broadband and our XBox One is unusable because pretty much every game needs an update (we've 12 queued) and each of those would take 1-2 days to download and we'd be able to do little else on the internet when its happening.

    We can just about stream Netflix but if theres anything else happening in the house on the internet it wont run.

    A bit of a first world problem i know, but very frustrating.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
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    Hi

    If you are part of the broadband rollout,
    (in this area it is http://www.cswbroadband.org.uk/), then maybe the sponsor of the cabinet re-shuffle could shed some light.

    Openreach don't do it out of the goodness of their own hearts, so try and sign up with a fibre supplier who may be able to exert some influence.

    http://www.cswbroadband.org.uk/your-area/currently-under-investigation/guide-better-broadband-subsidy-scheme/
    Guide to the Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme

    Introduction

    The Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme has been developed by the UK government to provide access to a subsidised broadband installation to homes and businesses that are unable to access a broadband service with a download speed of at least 2 Mb per second and who will not benefit from the superfast broadband roll out.
    If you currently experience poor broadband speeds, or are unable to obtain an affordable broadband service at all, the scheme will provide you with access to a basic broadband service that will offer speeds of at least 2 Mb per second.
    You can check your broadband download speed over the BT Openreach network using the ADSL checker.
    Broadband services may also be available from Virgin Media or other providers. You can check whether superfast broadband is available at your address using the BDUK superfast broadband checker.
    If you take advantage of this scheme your household or business will still be eligible for a superfast broadband service in the future.
    Applications to the Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme can be made until the end of 2017.
  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
    If the cabinet is in place then it won't be planning restrictions causing the delay so it's most likely a problem getting power to it. You can check that by listening to the cabinet to hear if it is humming. Some time back I found that my own cabinet would light up a mains tester screwdriver (some sort of LED one not a neon one) when I tried to find if it was powered.

    Openreach may be a complete shower but if they have a cabinet in place they will certainly try to get some ROI from it and not all delays can be laid at their door.
  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847 Forumite
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    Tip for your xbox :-


    Turn off wireless in the settings and remove the network cable (if applicable)


    You can then use your xbox without it complaining about updates.
    You wont be able to play online however (ovbiously)
  • chunter
    chunter Posts: 2,001 Forumite
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    No money in rural broadband. The money is in giving people in urban areas faster broadband. More potential customers, more potential profit.
    Openreach are a private company with a monopoly.

    It is sad and utterly pathetic that they're allowed to get away with it, but I didn't vote for the current rotten and corrupt government.
  • benjus
    benjus Posts: 5,433 Forumite
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    I live in outer London (zone 5) and I'm still at the "Build" stage and have been for about a year at least. There's no Virgin cable in the area either, so don't have that option. My parents live in rural Oxfordshire and have had fibre available for a while. No idea why they are taking so long where I live.
    Let's settle this like gentlemen: armed with heavy sticks
    On a rotating plate, with spikes like Flash Gordon
    And you're Peter Duncan; I gave you fair warning
  • Hoseman
    Hoseman Posts: 383 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Thats disappointing to hear as I advised someone to wait as it wouldnt take long (4 months) as they are at the connect stage too. Any advice or insights on how to get any 'on the ground' info would be appreciated.
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    Just to update

    Openreach emailed back within 3 days saying they expected it to move to the next stage before the end of the month, and miraculously, it did a few days later!

    It sat at that stage for a week, then came up "Accepting orders" two weeks ago, we signed up to BT Infinity, and as of tuesday there we have 80MB broadband! (The engineer says it will drop over time to around 60MB)

    Complete world of a difference!

    Also got the new BT Home Hub 6 which has impressive coverage compared to the 5, and they gave us a BT Mini Hub for free, which is normally £69.99 (our house is a weird shape with thick walls).

    So all sorted!

    Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply and offer advice :)
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