Broadband for New Build

luis1988

Bit of a random one but seeing if people have experience...

We are purchasing a one-off new build (on a plot of land between existing dwellings) and will likely be ready to move in around 7-8 weeks time.

We both work from home so need internet ASAP at the property. As such I have started enquiring to broadband providers but the address doesn't show up on their systems.

The weird part is that it IS showing at the Royal Mail address finder so it has been registered correctly.

Anyone faced similar and know who would be best to contact?

Thanks!

Racky_Roo

Most companies don't update their address database that often so you might need to use a hotspot on your phone for a few days but sometimes they can put a request in to update the addresses with new builds. I only waited a couple of days from moving in to Sky connecting me as they are really quick

JJR45

You may want to upgrade your current broadband to BT halo (if with BT) as they will provide a 4g dongle while you wait for connection.
As a one off build, it could be weeks as it may not be just a case of enabling you at the exchange, You may need a cable taken to the property.

luis1988

JJR45 said:

You may want to upgrade your current broadband to BT halo (if with BT) as they will provide a 4g dongle while you wait for connection.
As a one off build, it could be weeks as it may not be just a case of enabling you at the exchange, You may need a cable taken to the property.

Spoke to builder today and cabling has been done from the exchange so it is only getting the order in and done on the broadband supplier side.

Weirdly the address has been on Royal Mail for weeks now as I checked, so I would have thought their systems to have updated by now!

JJR45

luis1988 said:

JJR45 said:

You may want to upgrade your current broadband to BT halo (if with BT) as they will provide a 4g dongle while you wait for connection.
As a one off build, it could be weeks as it may not be just a case of enabling you at the exchange, You may need a cable taken to the property.

Spoke to builder today and cabling has been done from the exchange so it is only getting the order in and done on the broadband supplier side.

Weirdly the address has been on Royal Mail for weeks now as I checked, so I would have thought their systems to have updated by now!

I would take that with a pince of salt, AFAIK builders only cable to the outside of the house, they certainly would not be allowed to cable into the exchange unless they arranged it with BT. (would be odd for a one-off, we looked at a small development and although all internal cabling was done, externally it was only to the outside of the property, as open reach take over from there)

House details are unlikely to show on royal mail until after being registered on the lad registry (post sale)

luis1988

JJR45 said:

luis1988 said:

JJR45 said:

You may want to upgrade your current broadband to BT halo (if with BT) as they will provide a 4g dongle while you wait for connection.
As a one off build, it could be weeks as it may not be just a case of enabling you at the exchange, You may need a cable taken to the property.

Spoke to builder today and cabling has been done from the exchange so it is only getting the order in and done on the broadband supplier side.

Weirdly the address has been on Royal Mail for weeks now as I checked, so I would have thought their systems to have updated by now!

I would take that with a pince of salt, AFAIK builders only cable to the outside of the house, they certainly would not be allowed to cable into the exchange unless they arranged it with BT. (would be odd for a one-off, we looked at a small development and although all internal cabling was done, externally it was only to the outside of the property, as open reach take over from there)

House details are unlikely to show on royal mail until after being registered on the lad registry (post sale)

House builder had his BT/OpenReach guy come out to do it, so that part is 100% done.

That's odd as the address can be found on the Royal Mail postcode finder here - https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode

JJR45

luis1988 said:

JJR45 said:

luis1988 said:

JJR45 said:

You may want to upgrade your current broadband to BT halo (if with BT) as they will provide a 4g dongle while you wait for connection.
As a one off build, it could be weeks as it may not be just a case of enabling you at the exchange, You may need a cable taken to the property.

Spoke to builder today and cabling has been done from the exchange so it is only getting the order in and done on the broadband supplier side.

Weirdly the address has been on Royal Mail for weeks now as I checked, so I would have thought their systems to have updated by now!

I would take that with a pince of salt, AFAIK builders only cable to the outside of the house, they certainly would not be allowed to cable into the exchange unless they arranged it with BT. (would be odd for a one-off, we looked at a small development and although all internal cabling was done, externally it was only to the outside of the property, as open reach take over from there)

House details are unlikely to show on royal mail until after being registered on the lad registry (post sale)

House builder had his BT/OpenReach guy come out to do it, so that part is 100% done.

That's odd as the address can be found on the Royal Mail postcode finder here - https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode

Well openreach enable the broadband, so if they have openreach out already surely it would already be registered as they could not connect it otherwise.
Maybe worth asking who they spoke to at open reach and have they got an order/case ref to cable up to the property. You maybe able to find it from that then.

pinkteapot

luis1988 said:

That's odd as the address can be found on the Royal Mail postcode finder here - https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode

That's good. I don't have specific advice about getting broadband as I don't remember how we managed it (!), but when we bought our new-build in 2019 it appeared on the Royal Mail database promptly, but it took about a year before all companies had it on their systems. Companies pay Royal Mail for monthly, quarterly or whatever updates, and it seems quite a lot don't bother paying for very frequent updates.

Consequently, for a lot of online shopping etc, I had to either manually enter the address when it couldn't be found, or phone if there wasn't an option to manually provide an address. Same when arranging home insurance for completion - had to phone insurers to get it sorted and they took the address over the phone. Be prepared for a lot of that, but it sorts itself out in the end.

EDIT: Having a vague memory... I *think* the builder had sorted the connection from the house to the exchange, then we phoned BT and ordered our line and broadband? BT came out to do an install in the house, I remember that much. As with insurers, phone providers and see who'll manually take an address - BT must have done for us.

luis1988

Thanks for the updates guys, all very helpful!