The frustrating saga of full fibre broadband: a promise made, then broken, then miraculously fixed!
Imagine the excitement: an email arrives, beaming with good news that full fibre broadband is finally available for your home! You check Openreach's official tool, and it confirms it – a green light for super-fast internet. But then, a month later, the rug is pulled out from under you. Openreach declares the connection 'uneconomical', citing mysterious blockages in the conduits beneath the road. This leaves you in a frustrating limbo, unable to switch providers because your property is technically connectable, meaning Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will only offer you the full fibre package you can't actually get.
This is precisely the predicament faced by JN in Teignmouth, Devon. After receiving the initial confirmation, the subsequent declaration of 'uneconomical' meant JN was stuck, unable to benefit from the promised upgrade. The real kicker? Because the system says it's connectable, other ISPs are hesitant to offer alternative, perhaps more readily available, broadband solutions.
But here's where it gets controversial... Openreach's stance that commercial factors might delay an upgrade if infrastructure is inadequate, and that their online checker is merely an 'indicator' and not a 'guarantee', raises some serious questions. If the checker isn't a guarantee, what is its purpose? Is it simply to generate hope, only to dash it later? This ambiguity can leave customers feeling misled and powerless.
And this is the part most people miss: after JN raised the issue, Openreach miraculously found a solution. They stated, "We’ve taken a detailed look at what’s needed to connect JN’s home and found a way to get it done." This begs the question: why wasn't this detailed look taken before the initial confirmation and subsequent declaration of being 'uneconomical'? Was the 'uneconomical' assessment a genuine hurdle, or a convenient excuse that evaporated under pressure?
Openreach acknowledged that "Sometimes we find unexpected problems when we come to build the final connection. These cases are rare, and when they happen, we work hard to fix them, but we’re sorry that we can’t always do that." While their apology is noted, the inconsistency between the initial 'yes' and the subsequent 'no' (and then another 'yes'!) highlights a potential disconnect in their assessment processes. It's a complex situation, and it's understandable why customers might feel frustrated when promises of advanced technology seem to crumble due to unforeseen, or perhaps poorly assessed, obstacles.
What do you think? Have you experienced similar issues with broadband providers or infrastructure projects? Do you believe online checkers should be more definitive, or are these unforeseen issues an unavoidable part of complex engineering projects? Share your thoughts in the comments below – we'd love to hear your experiences and opinions!
