No access

Dorispug

My broadband stopped working on Tuesday.  Engineer came today and told me there was a break in the wire across the road.  We have now been told the first date for repair is 3 MONTHS AWAY. Something to do with permission from the council. How can this be right. Imagine if I had small children, home schooling or I was working from home. Surely something can be done.  Advice please

littleboo

It sounds like the delay is with getting approvals for roadworks. You may need to look at mobile broadband as an interim.

Neil_Jones

If you don't pay for business line, expect to be back of the queue for repairs.

A lot depends on where the break is, if it's (say) in a section of cable that stretches over a road, Openreach need to request permission to close the road to erect something safely to fix it.  There are procedures in place for this for emergency access, but I dare say you as a domestic broadband user (you may not be the only one) may not be an emergency.

In some other places the cabling runs under houses, public footpaths, council buildings, etc.  A lot of these council buildings may be closed and access not possible.

JJ_Egan

No law says you have to have a broadband connection .

If OpenReach are waiting for the council in lockdown it will be best to get a mobile dongle .

Chino

Dorispug said:

Advice please

You could try contacting your council and try to speak to someone in the highways/planning department to see if the approval could be expedited. Although I imagine you'll just get a flat "computer says no" response.