Getting redundant kit and cabling removed

[NeilHickman]

When Openreach installed by Vodafone fibre kit they (sensibly) left the BT fibre kit in place. Now that the Vodafone installation is up and running, I want to get the redundant BT kit and cabling removed. BT tell me that my account with them is technically still live but that it will cease on Tuesday next, and that if they raise a request to Openreach to do this work it will automatically be cancelled when my account closes. How do I go about getting this redundant kit and cabling removed?

[NeilHickman]

Thanks for that. I duly rang Openreach as suggested; Option 1 is actually "damage caused to your property by Openreach equipment". And at the end of the line was a very pleasant chap who informed me that "they only deal with damage and don't remove anything".

Option 3 on Openreach's system ("Anything else..."), BTW, elevates customer service to new stratospheric heights. You get a recorded message saying, effectively "We don't talk to members of the public. Go away" following which the line goes dead.

[NeilHickman]

I think I have found the answer, which is to go to Openreach's site and download https://www.openreach.com/building-developers-and-projects/altering-our-network/altering-our-network....

Filling in this form invites Openreach to "alter their network" (by removing the redundant bits of it). It's chargeable, but that's fair enough; there's no reason why Vodafone should pay for the removal of the existing fibre to install theirs (which I think was essentially Jayach's point) and no reason why BT should pay for the removal of what they are no longer using.. I doubt it will cost me as much as I paid an electrical contractor about ten years ago to clean up the mess of redundant electric cabling across the front of this house courtesy of the previous owners!!.

[Jayach]

Let's just hope they remove the correct fibre, as both are theirs.

[NeilHickman]

Such cynicism, in the Thriving Land of Opportunity that is Brexit Britain!

[NeilHickman]

A pleasant young chap from Openreach turned up on Tuesday morning and took the redundant stuff away.

In the event, and this may be useful information for people to have, because what I was asking Openreach to remove was a now-redundant bit of their network, there was no charge.

I got the impression from speaking with the Openreach engineer that if his visit had been booked through BT (some chance - BT's motto in such matters tends to be "any assistance short of actual help") or Vodafone, a charge might have been raised. But, he said, if that was the case I should ask for it to be refunded.

Contacting Openreach directly using the link I previously notified should enable anyone in my position to get redundant cabling removed free of charge, though.

[Mark]

I'm glad to see you've got this sorted @NeilHickman. I believe if this had requested by ourselves Openreach would have classed it as a standard engineer visit and a charge may have been raised for this.