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MrJosh86's avatar
MrJosh86
Just joined
12 days ago

Flats unserviceable despite being surrounded by serviceable properties

TL:DR : I've been told my flat is unserviceable despite being surrounded by other flats in the area that have FTTP available to them now. I'm looking to see how this is determined and if anything can be done about this.

I own and live in a 1st floor flat. No flats above, and only garages below. This is the same for all 9 flats at this address.
My current broadband is currently fed through ducting that runs from a manhole on the pavement on by road to just outside my property, where a cable then comes up the side of the building and through a hole in the wall. Nothing any broadband installer would struggle with (given I had that cable replaced last year; I know that to be the case - it took Openreach about 20 minutes to replace a around a 20 meter broken copper line from the pavement to my flat).

I've been stuck with pitiful internet since moving to the area, so was very excited about virgin becoming available in the area. I've been following Virgin Media's rollout in the area closely over the last year or so. So needless to say I was having kittens when I saw them with my manhole cover open running cable up and down the road at the tail end of last year.

However; it seems my property has been passed by. A block of flats opposite mine has this available to them (up to 2gbps), blocks of flats up and down this same road all have it available to them. I have friends in the area that have all already had this offered and accepted connections to them now. Yet still nothing here. I am utterly stumped as to why.

I've called Virgin and been passed pillar to post about where the determination of this property being "unserviceable" has come from, and what needs to be done to change this. They can only tell me my postcode is unserviceable. I would argue that any one of these other blocks of flats in the area would have been a much harder install, either due to how many flats there where, access etc.
To get a fiber cable to my flat from the road is pulling it through some ducting (which already has pulling wire in it) and spending 5 minutes up a ladder poking it through a hole that's already in the wall.

I'm on good terms with the management company of the property, so if something here needs to change in order to make this "serviceable" I'm in a good position to make that happen.
I understand a survey is usually required for blocks of flats before they can offer or install anything - however the management company have not been approached, nor can they see a way to arrange a survey.

Can anyone advise on how to proceed here? I'm surround by FTTP and yet no one will take my money!

1 Reply

  • Hey MrJosh86, thank you for reaching out and a warm welcome to the community, we are sorry to hear about your issues.

    Who has advised your property is none serviceable?

    When did they tell you this?