BT Phone Connection - Help Needed

kaney

I have recently moved into a converted maisonette which now contains two flats. Because of this there is no phone connection to the flat I now own.

I recently ordered sky talk and broadband and today was the day they were supposed to send a BT Open Reach engineer out to connect me to the network.

The engineer arrived at about 9am this morning and immediately installed the white box in the flat, however the phone pole he was instructed to connect us to was not in the vicinity and as a result he could not connect us but said he would return later in the day having spoken to BT for a new pole number.

Anyway, he comes back at about midday and says there is no pole that we can connect to at the moment, so we need either an overhead line or a 'box' to connect our phone line to. There is a box on the property next door, which we were all set to connect to until the neighbour changed their mind and refused the engineer permission to run a cable from the box.

This meant the engineer was unable to do anything today, but advised he would send a report to BT. He then said that BT would have to dig a trench in the road to connect us to the main line although understandably was not able to give a timescale or confirmation that this would be done.

Has anyone had a similar problem, and if so how was it resolved?

Also, are BT obliged to connect us as they are the only provider of UK phone lines?

Thanks in advance.

macman

Yes, they will connect you, and the cost should be the same. The timeframe may be harder to ascertain though.

Buzby

You had a VERY lucky escape. If the user next door had not raised an objection you would have been fitted with a 1+1 carrier unit. Fine for a phonew line, but no use for data or BB. These devices were largely phased out a good few years ago, but where issues remain, they still trot them out as a 'solution'.

As you note, the mechanics of getting the line to you are going to be more complicated due to the easy option (pole) being unavailable. This will require the U/G (underground) specialist crew to find a circuit and provide it to your box - at least you'll get good value for your installation fee, and a nice new lkine back to the main distribution point.

Shame it isn't fibre!

bigd68

Needed a new phone line installed for broadband so contacted BT who said the charge would be £130. Went into local Post Office grabbed a leaflet rang their call centre (0800 092 0514)and quoted the branch code on back of leaflet (0047023). To my surprise they are charging only £60 for the same BT line to be installed. In fact it is the BT engineer who came to install. Why would anyone pay an extra £70 for the same service. As for the line rental costs it is still over £2 cheaper than BT per month.

macman

All phone line installs are done by BT Openreach, regardless of your service provider.

deklan99

Current Openreach price for a new line installation - £48.22 + VAT - http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/pricing/loadProductPriceDetails.do?data=ccWy9ZJoVtf1gb2YRVL3pYSkcG%2Bc%2B30URCuKygKmgSNUNeIS4WkJBRh6z%2FRUAIt8maxtgrEro1A7%0Aw5V8nzAZpQ%3D%3D

grumpyofwhitecross

Buzby wrote: »

You had a VERY lucky escape. If the user next door had not raised an objection you would have been fitted with a 1+1 carrier unit. Fine for a phonew line, but no use for data or BB. These devices were largely phased out a good few years ago, but where issues remain, they still trot them out as a 'solution'.

As you note, the mechanics of getting the line to you are going to be more complicated due to the easy option (pole) being unavailable. This will require the U/G (underground) specialist crew to find a circuit and provide it to your box - at least you'll get good value for your installation fee, and a nice new lkine back to the main distribution point.

Shame it isn't fibre!

I'll bet the box was outside the neighbours and they wanted to use the second pair to reach the building and then cable from there to the op.:beer: