Sky / Openreach and out of hours new installs

dlmcr

After an "interesting" experience with Sky where a new broadband install appointment was missed and having to re-book for another weekday, I was just curious about why Openreach no longer do Saturday / evening installs?

I'm not really familiar with how BT / Sky / Talk talk etc etc contract out the work of new installs to Openreach but guessing it's some kind of bulk xx installs per year arrangement and Openreach get paid y amount.

If the engineers work overtime hours then it is surprising that out of hours services are not available to the end customer, or maybe it is available to some end customers and not others. Maybe not financially viable? I don't know if anyone knows any more about this?

forgotmyname

Seen openreach vans at my local box late at night. Spotted a van at the local box and an hour later my internet dropped out.

Mister_G

Probably fixing a fault for a business customer.

spud17

Workmate had a call from Open Reach last Friday asking if anyone would be around on Sunday morning as they were activating his line and due to the location were expecting problems.
The very rural property had been empty for over a year.
An Open Reach van did turn up and someone was seen working up a pole on the track.
The broadband was working Monday evening, but the next cottage along the track had lost phone and broadband.

iniltous

I believe Saturday and evening slots are available if CP's want them, dunno if it's something CP's pay OR extra for, or even if all CP's want to use this facility, some CP's like Sky who recently reduced the service level they pay for (saving Sky a few££'s,) are not likely to pay extra to get a weekend visit for their customers, if they pay for the cheapest level of response from OR
OR can and do work overtime to keep work stacks under control, so although you may well see OR vehicles and staff outside core hours Monday to Friday 08.00-1700 (or something like that) it's because it suits OR to ask their staff to work (possibly overtime, possibly a rostered Saturday or late finish) , but it doesn't necessarily mean that you can ask for and be guaranteed a visit outside 08.00-1700 from your provider as 'standard'.
You would need to ask your individual provider if they are aware of Saturday and late slots, and if they offer them , if OR charge the provider extra for these outside core hours visits, then some providers may well suggest that the only slots are Mon to Fri 08.00-1700, as they don't want to pay extra , so only offer 'core' hour visits

littleboo

Sky downgraded the repair service contract they have with Openreach. Not sure if its the same with installs.

teddysmum

When my son used to subcontract to Openreach, they charged increasingly extra for evening, Saturday and Sunday work ; the latter charge being quite hefty. However, the people doing the jobs got the same rate whenever, so perhaps they have recruitment problems for weekend/evening work.

dlmcr

Yep. It appears that engineers at OR work various OOH rostered patterns as part of their actual contract, depending on when they started working for OH and other factors. Time spend during OOH doesn't appear to be spent doing installs for Sky etc though because Sky don't want to pay OR for this service level. Fair enough.

"As you recall a few weeks ago I messaged you regarding the company's intention to increase the number of Saturdays which you are contracted to work.

I said at the time that there had been NO agreement reached and that is still the case, despite what we are hearing some managers are saying.
The six branch Secretary's from all the branch's in the eastern region which as GM is covered by xxxxxx xxxxxx, met for a fourth meeting with him yesterday.
From the outset of the meeting we made it clear to his team that there would be NO AGREEMENT, while the company refused to make any sort of offer in way of an incentive to work the extra Saturdays.
All they could come up with is more figures to try and support the claim that essential that these extra days are worked as normal and NOT as O/T, and that this is being driven by the increase in the service levels, by BT Consumer, Sky and Talk Talk, which seemed strange when you consider that in previous meetings we have been told that Sky / TalkTalk have DROPPED their service levels!"