Pre-Install Survey

[neil_c_taylor]

Hi,

Can someone advise how I can arrange a pre-install visit to discuss with an engineer how they plan on getting the cable from the street to my property?  There is a boundary wall, garden, and block paved driveway to overcome, so I would like to discuss with an engineer to agree exactly how this will be done.

Thanks!

[David_Bn]

Good Morning @neil_c_taylor, thanks for your post on our Community Forums, and a very warm welcome to you!

Can you please advise us if you're pre-pull has taken place?

If this has not yet taken place, it may be worth being home for when the pre-pull takes placed to discuss the cabling arrangement. 

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[neil_c_taylor]

.@david_bn

No pre-pull yet.  Virgin installed the cables in the estate a couple of months ago, with black access points in the pavement at the boundary to each property.  So what is left will be to get the cable from the public footpath, under the garden wall, under the garden, under the driveway.

I managed to get through to someone at customer service, and they eventually agreed to book a pre-install appointment.  It is scheduled for today so I'll advise how it goes.

Thanks

[Andrew-G]

Bear in mind that:

(a) the pre-install survey tech may not be the herbert that eventually turns up to do the job 

(b) chances of the survey tech communicating with the installer are low

(c) quality of some installs is less than optimal.

Which means today you should get some useful guidance and be able to discuss what you'd like, but you'll need to be in and explain it all again to the actual installer, who will probably have a ridiculously short window to complete the job.  A further consideration is that VM's record on new connections is hugely variable - some are on time, some are massively delayed for no obvious reason and with no explanation.  So no matter how clear and simple it all seems, no matter what VM promise, don't cancel any existing provider until the VM connection is in and working.

[neil_c_taylor]

.@andrew-G,

Thanks for the info.

A bit more info.......... we just moved into this property a couple of weeks ago.  Unfortunately, due to the fact that the BT line was damaged at some point, there is no existing provider.  I'm currently working using my phone as a wifi-hotspot.

Activation date provided by VM is 22 June, so this is what I'll be trying to hold them to.  Obviously once todays visit is done, the pre-pull will need to be completed before 22 June.

I'd definitely want to be around when the pre-pull is done for the reasons that you mention.

Keeping fingers crossed.

Thanks for the insights!

[John_GS]

How did the visit go neil_c_taylor?

Let us know if you need further assistance.

Best,

[neil_c_taylor]

.@john_gs

The survey went ok. The VM guy suggested the easiest way was to dig a trench at the hedge line, thus avoiding the block paved drive. He put some notes on the file to this point, for the use of the pull team.

The only point that he couldn’t answer was when the outside work will be conducted.  I would obviously like to be present when they do the works to ensure that the notes on the file are adhered to. 

Please can you advise how I can find out when the outside works will be done?

Thanks

Neil

[jem101]

@neil_c_taylor ah now, unfortunately, nobody at VM will be able to tell you this because nobody at VM actually knows! The job is farmed out to a third party contractor, who may themselves farm it out again. The people actually engaged to do the job will do it in their own sweet time on their timetable and convenience. As, technically, you don’t need to be for for this, there is no need for them to give any advance warning of when it will happen - assuming that it happens at all, see other posts on this forum regarding delayed installations.

Frankly the chances that notes on the file - and that is assuming that they do exist - being passed to the contractors is slim and the likelihood that even if they are, that said contractor will take any notice of them at all, are even slimmer.

[Tom_W1]

Hi @neil_c_taylor thanks for your reply and great to hear that the survey went without a hitch.

Unfortunately, due to the works being carried out by third party contractors, we can't give an exact date on this at this moment in time, but please be assured if there are any further problems in the lead up to this or on the actual day, we'll be sure to let you know.

Many thanks