Openreach

[Dodeth]

Was informed that Openreach would visit today to install a fibre socket. I was told the most likely time was between 8am and 1pm and if there was no-one at home I'd have to pay £165 missed appointment charge. So I've taken a day off work that has cost me a lot more than £165. Now I'm not saying they aren't going to turn up but I am wondering where I should send the bill...

[clifft]

My experience is that if they have your mobile number Openreach ring the day before with a recorded message that you have to acknowledge. Happened for both my new line and separate fibre install.

[Dodeth]

(16-10-2014 03:44 PM)clifft Wrote:  My experience is that if they have your mobile number Openreach ring the day before with a recorded message that you have to acknowledge. Happened for both my new line and separate fibre install.

That's interesting. They still haven't turned up but my ISP insists they are booked for today and that it could be any time up to 6pm. To be honest I don't believe a word they say but I feel as though they've got me by the wotsits. Looks like I need to get out from under them but the thought that I'll have to pay to terminate the contract sticks in my craw. What a mess.

[john1]

Openreach a law unto themselves!

[Dodeth]

As expected they didn't arrive.

[bishbosh]

They didn't arrive for me on 2 occasions.

On the day of the 3rd attempt I phoned my ISP 2 or 3 times to get them to ask Openreach if they are going to bother turning up.
When the engineer arrived he told me he had been bugged by my ISP asking him if he really is going to keep his appointment!

The ISP was Zen.

[Dodeth]

(17-10-2014 08:53 AM)bishbosh Wrote:  They didn't arrive for me on 2 occasions.

On the day of the 3rd attempt I phoned my ISP 2 or 3 times to get them to ask Openreach if they are going to bother turning up.
When the engineer arrived he told me he had been bugged by my ISP asking him if he really is going to keep his appointment!

The ISP was Zen.

I've called my ISP this morning and told them that I no longer believe a word they tell me. I also asked them where I should send the £400 bill for wasting my time yesterday (no response of course). My intention is to write to them today, to make clear that I'm not wasting any more time and money calling them, and that they have 14 days to get my fibre installed. I will tell them that after that date I will deem both the phone and broadband contract null and void and will cancel the Direct Debit. I assume I run the risk of them passing the issue onto a debt collection agency, and perhaps finding myself on a credit blacklist, but I'm willing to cross that bridge when I get to it. Utterly disillusioned.

Word of advice - if anyone mentions Supanet think very carefully.

[Chalky]

I've popped this thread over to the "Broadband Providers Outside DR" Forum as it isn't really anything to do with Origin Broadband.

More than happy for the discussion to continue though.

I must have been lucky with both of my installs, got a proper Openreach Engineer, a call before they came and made sure everything was in order before leaving. I do think it is very much a luck of the draw kind of thing unfortunately.