Orderd Fibre, Sky wont fund the install, what are my options

[Lee174]

Wanting to upgrade to Fibre

Placed an order through Sky. 

they escalated to Openreach and a friendly chap from Openreach came and drew some nice lines on my lawn.  

All good... 

Approximately 10 days later Sky Cancelled my order for Fibre upgrade. 

I have spoken with Sky and they have declared that as the cost would exceed £1000 they won't agree to fund the installation. they won't tell me the 'actual' cost and they won't discuss the matter with me further. And effectively closed the order……

So I have tried to speak with Openreach.... as I am not a commercial entity they won't talk to me so I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

We have an approximately 21m front garden (lawn/ gravel drive).  So I appreciate that trenching would be expensive.

Therefore I can propose that I, as a homeowner, commission digging the trench, install conduit, and leave a guideline so that Openreach just have to join from the pavement to the conduit. And then pull the line through the conduit and install the FTTP box on the house.

To do this all I would need to know is where I would need to run the conduit just before the pavement.

So questions to the community 

How do I find out where Openreach 'fibre lines are'? 

and would it be worth the risk of reopening an order in the hope that Openreach charges to sky would be under the £1000 mark assuming they are happy with the conduit's location and suitability? 

Kindest

Lee

[Chrisee]

@Lee174 Sky do not have any way for you to pay the extra costs other isps may have different policies. It is likely that Sky wil release you from contract in these circumstances if you want to shop around.

If you enter your full address into the folowing checkercand post the table and tgecfirst 3 lines of the notes it may be possible to see what the issue is Openreach Checker

[TimmyBGood]

@Lee174 

If contemplating the commissioning of your own infrastructure, I'd suggest you refer to the information which Openreach provides to self-builders and small developers regarding the specification of ducts and chambers which they'll consider using.

For example:

https://www.openreach.com/building-developers-and-projects/fibre-for-developers/guides-and-handbooks 

[Lee174]

Hi Chrisee

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG partial Direct In Ground.

FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange

[TimmyBGood]

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@Lee174 wrote:

I have spoken with Sky and they have declared that as the cost would exceed £1000 they won't agree to fund the installation. they won't tell me the 'actual' cost and they won't discuss the matter with me further. 

---

As a guideline, Openreach expects to spend a maximum of c£2600 to provision an individual address with FTTP: I suspect the £1000 mentioned by Sky is actually an Excess Construction Charge (ECC) which is the cost beyond that amount as calculated by Openreach for the work required.

Edit: actually I think it's now £3400 per property

[Chrisee]

@Lee174 my own installation had very similar wording but the run was under 15m. Openreach did not dig a trench as such they simply buried a thin plastic pipe a few inches below ground. A second team then ran the fibre from the pavement point and installed the external connection box. 

Your problem though is not Openreach but that Sky can only accept orders for standard installations as their systems cannot manage exceptions. Other ISPs especially companies like Zen can be more flexible as oddly can BT/EE if you get to the right people.

[Lee174]

Just an Update. 

after going around the houses Sky have said that they would allow me to be released from my contract with no penalty if i can procure another ISP that will complete the install. 

So i am off to see if there is someone who may be prepared to dig up my lawn! 

thanks for your help everone. @Chrisee @TimmyBGood 

[TimmyBGood]

@Lee174 

I don't think you'll find a domestic ISP which is prepared to cover ECCs: the fundamental problem is their profit margin over a minimum contract term is thin enough as it is.

[Chrisee]

@Lee174 while I agree with @TimmyBGood thst the mass market isps probably wont although it msybewortg asking BT/EE however I would talk to tge smaller operations using Openreach who can cut a deal thst suits you and them.