Contacting BT/OpenReach

[Black Hole]

There's a street cabinet near here that looks like it has been vandalised. I know there are ex-GPO/BT on here, so:

• Who/what/where is the best place to contact about it?
• What's the right term for it?

 

[Wallace]

Call 0800 023 2023 option 1, OpenReach external damage control.

The green box is called a PCP (Primary Cross Connection Point).

Not too clear from the photo if that is one of our boxes. I can see that there is a small footway jointbox in front of the cab. That should have a stamp on it that would help identify the cab. I.E. PO (Post Office), BT (British Telecom) or perhaps CATV (Cable TV).

 

[Black Hole]

The photo was borrowed from Streetview.

I'll have a closer look later (if I remember when I'm passing).

 

[Wallace]

OK. I fell into the trap of assuming that you had taken the photo! The more I look at it, I think it will be a CATV cab. I don't ever recall seeing one of ours having a single locking bolt in one font door. PCP's usually have at least two. But never say never...

 

[Black Hole]

You're right, the manhole cover in front of it reads "CATV". What now?

 

[Wallace]

No point in calling OpenReach. My guess is Virgin Media, but I don't have number for them!

Edit: I have Googled it and found this number on the VM Community Forum. I can't vouch for it's validity though:

0330 333 0444

 

[Black Hole]

 

[Wallace]

Nice. 100% certain that it is not an OpenReach cabinet. Try VM as they have taken over all the smaller CATV companies in my neck of the woods.

 

[Trev]

I suspect you can tell that as there is insufficient knitted spaghetti in it.

 

[Black Hole]

Virgin can look after themselves.

 

[Wallace]

Virgin can look after themselves.

Very public spirited.

I hope that the OpenReach box that serves you doesn't get damaged and someone with a VM account walks passed with the same attitude.

 

[Black Hole]

Yes, you're probably right, but the original observation is getting stale and one wonders what the occasional passing policeman, users of the immediately opposite shop, and residents whom the box actually serves (not my street), have done about it in the mean time. I was quite prepared to report it initially, but now it seems like a less valuable use of my time.

They don't make it easy - the identification label on it is illegible. Wouldn't it be a good plan to put a phone number or some kind of contact details on all these boxes?

 

[Wallace]

Yes it probably would, they, and I include OR, don't like to make thing too easy!

 

[Trev]

O. the corner of <street> and <street> in <town> should be sufficient. But a ref number and a phone number (0800 of course) would be a much better option and incentive for Joe Public to report faults both on VM and BT etc.

 

[Black Hole]

My point is that Joe Public isn't going to know who to contact. It isn't obvious that a street cabinet is anything to do with Virgin Media, the only clue being "CATV" on the nearby manhole cover, which wouldn't mean a lot to the man on the Clapham omnibus (and I guess it needn't be VM at all). Most would (I suppose) assume (as I did) that it would be BT.

 

[EEPhil]

At least some nearby green boxes belonging to 02 (and there are a lot of them) have a contact number and installation number on them. Hence Phil Public would know who to contact if they were vandalised. No such details on BT and VM boxes.

 

[Trev]

And BT call themselves a communication company

 

[EEPhil]

And BT call themselves a communication company

 

[prpr]

And BT call themselves a communication company

I sent them into 600 ohms.

 

[Wallace]

As that your balanced opinion?