No phone line

[Nickpm]

I'm at the end of my tether and hoping someone can help.

webe been without internet or phone line since 2nd Feb. Logged the issue with Sky who identified that Open Reach needed to attend as our ONT box has an issue. Waited in twice for two BT Open Reach appointments which were cancelled last minute. I attempted to try and reschedule a third one and it was all booked in for 22nd Feb when I happened to realise the appointment is for a Sky Engineer! Highly frustrating as Sky said on the last two occasions that BT need to attend. I've contacted Sky and they now say one of their engineers need to attend to assess the situation. This is not until 22nd Feb! The part is simple - the BT OR Box on the wall has failed - it just won't power up. It simply needs replacing by BT. I'm now without a phone or internet until at least 22nd. All I need is for Sky to actually send the right engineer out - someone from BT! We also have poor mobile signal where we live (which sky are aware of) and rely on our phone line. Whenever I call up I'm just going around in circles with a BT appointment being made, then somehow cancelled and replaced with a Sky engineer appointment! Really annoyed and we are also vulnerable with no phone line.

[Mark39]

It sounds as though perhaps Sky aren't able to book an appointment with Openreach (not BT) until an assessment by a Sky engineer has been completed.

[Nickpm]

Apologies I should have made this clear. Assessment has already been made. BT appointments then made but were cancelled by BT or Sky. When I phoned up to reschedule the third time they've booked a Sky engineer instead by mistake. 

[Mark39]

Regrettably I can't shed any light on it. I don't think Sky would have any reason to unilaterally cancel the appointments with Openreach, so I suspect it's Openreach themselves that have done so for some reason.

You could go back to Sky to question it, but unfortunately you may end up having to wait until 22nd for the Sky engineer to visit, and conclude unsurprisingly that Openreach need to fix it.

The only minor saving grace is that you may be eligible for automatic compensation for the delay.

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/auto-compensation

[TimmyBGood]

@Nickpm 

As @Mark39 indicates, referring to BT in this context is inappropriate and leads to confusion.  Openreach is a company within BT Group, but operationally independent of BT as a Telco/ISP.

[Nickpm]

Fair point but the context of the thread is still understood. That said the Sky Rep I spoke to yesterday used BT and Open Reach interchangeably so no wonder I've replicated this error. Now looks like this is finally resolved as Sky have acknowledged their error and arranged for Open Reach to come out. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Nickpm wrote:

That said the Sky Rep I spoke to yesterday used BT and Open Reach interchangeably so no wonder I've replicated this error. 

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Interestingly, doing so is a disciplinary offence for Openreach staff, because the company is really keen on not falling foul of the Ofcom OMU

[Nickpm]

Sorry what do you mean disciplinary for Open Reach staff? I am assuming you mean the Sky rep who used the terms interchangeably. The call is recorded and I have been told everything will be reviewed once the issue is resolved. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Nickpm wrote:

Sorry what do you mean disciplinary for Open Reach staff?

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Openreach personnel are forbidden from referring to themselves and their company as BT.  All BT branding has been removed from Openreach equipment, from vans and fluorescents to new sockets and ONTs.

https://www.openreach.com/news-and-opinion/2020/Superbrand 

Unhelpfully, there's a vast legacy of installed hardware (particularly domestic phone sockets) marked either BT or BT Openreach which perpetuates the inevitable confusion.

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7888/CBP-7888.pdf