No Engineer Visit Required?

[VivSky2025]

Hi

I am trying to sort out my aunt's broadband installation.

She lives in a retirement village.

We ordered broadband for her, and she had an appointment for last week which was cancelled on the day by OpenReach (something to do with needing permission from the retirement home to ensure the installation wouldn't interfere with their systems - apologies, I don't have much info on this as I didn't speadk to them and my aunt has dementia).

We had to cancel the order, return the router and then create a new order, which we did.

My aunt has now had a message saying that the new router will be there on Weds, and her activation date will be 8th August. We have had nothing stating a time that an engineer will visit, and reading other threads on here, it seems that some installations do not require an engineer, that the router can just be plugged in.

My concern is that Sky think this is a replacement router (depsite the new order) and that my aunt will have nothing to plug it in to.

Or is it possible that due to it being a residential home, her apartment already has the facility to plug her router in and therefore an engineer visit is not needed?

Unfortunately, I live 120 miles away from her so I can't go and look for any OpenReach or Sky branded things on her wall, and my aunt is too confused to do this herself.

I had a look at the Broadband checker and this is what I can see (in case this helps anyone).

I can't call Sky because they need a password (her account isn't yet set up as she still hasn't had installation) and because I'm not the account holder, they won't deal with me.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[jamesn123]

Hi @VivSky2025 

The check you have done shows that the retirement home is already enabled for Fibre & that its an MDU. This should mean that on the day of install an Openreach engineer should come and simply run the cable from the distribution point (which is usually located near the flat/room door) into the area in which the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) will be mounted to the wall. It does say that an ONT can be ordered, which means no existing unit is in place, therefore a self install would not be possible and it will require an engineer. 

[VivSky2025]

Thanks, Jamesn123, for your help. I really appreciate you.

It was as suspected - I imagine they think the new router is a replacement (despite them making us cancel the original order and place a new one). I'm beginning to wish I'd chosen a different provider - we've had nothing but trouble with Sky from the point of order to now. And it looks like I've got to spend yet more time on the phone with them trying to sort this out now. 😫

[jamesn123]

@VivSky2025 

I would say its worth a call and outlining to them that there is currently no ONT in the location. 

[VivSky2025]

Just a quick thought. If the previous apartment owner had Sky Broadband, would the router just plug into whatever equipment is still in the apartment, or will it require an installation anyway?

Thanks.

[VivSky2025]

Apologies, I just read that you said there is no ONT in the apartment. Please disregard my last question. I'll call Sky now.

[TimmyBGood]

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@VivSky2025 wrote:

If the previous apartment owner had Sky Broadband, would the router just plug into whatever equipment is still in the apartment

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Only if the previous broadband was being delivered over FTTP, which doesn't appear to be the case here.

Also keep in mind that the presence of telecoms-connected care alarms is currently a block to a change in broadband technology.