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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Miles Brignall

Why can’t BT connect me to broadband on the edge of London?

A green telecom cabinet advertising the release of fibre broadband.
Fibre broadband was here … but not in
the Woodford Green cabinet.
Photograph: Simon Collins/Alamy

We have just moved into a house in Woodford Green on the edge of London but BT is unable to offer us broadband. The previous occupant had it, and as soon as I had a moving date I asked BT to switch us. However, it seems that this was not processed properly and the connection has been given to someone else in the road.

Incredibly, BT has told me that the local fibre cabinet is full, and there is no longer an old-style copper line connection. We need wifi to work at home and can’t believe this is happening in 2022.

PC, Woodford Green

This unusual case has been something of a trial to resolve. You’d have thought that BT would have taken a keen interest in getting you connected given that it lost your original order, but it has been anything but.

Following my call to Openreach, which manages the overall network, an engineer was dispatched to install one of the old copper wires which will deliver you a basic broadband service. You are just waiting for a replacement router.

I fear we will see more of these cases as landlines are withdrawn over the next two years.

We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email consumer.champions@theguardian.com or write to Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include a phone number. Letters are subject to our terms: gu.com/letters-terms

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