Bt

stuartalexmc

I would be grateful if you could help me with this, I read the forums on a daily basis but have never really had the courage to post.

I brought a residential Static Caravan in September, being told at the time that getting a telephone line would be a simple matter of ringing up and having it done. That is where the fun starts. I originally contracted Talk Talk to install the landline mainly because they were the cheapest and as a student money is tight. They messed up and it was not until December that I was informed by a member of the CEO office that they could not install it due to possible excess charges and that I should ask BT to install due to the Universal Service Obligation.

On the 4th of December BT gave me a installation date of the 14th of January 2013. They missed it, and I was told that due to 'line plant' issues they would install the line by the 21st. They missed that.

Now I will take the time to point out that on the camp over 12 vans have a telephone line and there are four(4) telegraph poles within 30m; one less than 15 from my van.

Further appointments were made on the 1st of feb, the 9th of feb, 12, 14, 24, 27; each one was missed. Every Time the call center told me that 'line plant' issues were stopping the installation. Due to exams in March I put it on the back burner, calling BT on the 24th to find out that BT had canceled the order on the 27th of February due to the cost £1,100 of instaling the line. Not even telling me. :T

After a long telephone call on the 4th of April, they assured me that the line would be installed on the 19th and that no further delays would happen. A survey was carried out and subsequently the appointment canceled due to 'line plant'. I was informed of this on the 19th at 7pm. I was assured that the line would be installed by the 24th of April 'at the latest'. Then when no further communication was forthcoming I rang on the 29th of April to be told that excess charges would apply and that I would have to pay £1,100 plus VAT and construction charges if I wanted a landline, when I asked for a breakdown I was informed that it was £30 per meter of cable plus survey costs.

I am at a loss at what to do next, they sent a deadlock letter as they insist that I have to pay over a grand for installation due as that is how much it will cost. I simply cannot afford this.

I'm sorry it's a tad bit long but any help will be most appreciated

Thanks

Stuart

DonnyDave

Perhaps the DP is outside the park and the cables that run from it and into the park, to the poles you mention, are at full capacity. Either that or the nearest DP(s) is/are at full capacity and they will have to run a line from a neighbouring DP.

A DP is "distribution point". As the name implies lines are distributed from the point. It will be fed by a cable with multiple pairs in from the local cabinet. For example, a street may have a DP which is fed by a 20-pair cable (a single "pair" being required for one line). This means that there is a limit on the number of lines that can operate from it.

Not all poles are DPs; some take their 'feeds' from others which house the DP. A pole with a DP on may have a "DP" number and will have a trunk cable coming out of the ground to the junction box at the top.

So if the DP is outside the park, perhaps you will be charged for running a cable from it to each pole in-turn up to your caravan. If one of the poles you mention contains a DP then perhaps you will have to be fed from a neighbouring DP (which means running the cable quite a distance).