No more UFB installs in Dunedin until Feb 2017 (well for me anyway....)

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › No more UFB installs in Dunedin until Feb 2017 (well for me anyway....)

nicmair

244 posts

Master Geek

#205895 1-Dec-2016 16:12

So, last week I thought, what the heck, time to go to UFB....

Placed order through my ISP, so far so good..

Two days later got call from Chorus saying site inspection planned for today, that was quick I thought, cool.... that was delayed to Monday at 6ish last night, okay I thought, I can work with that, (was advised that delay was due to not enough tech's being available, not totally happy, but okay, whats couple of days). Install was re booked for the 9th Dec. So far so good....

Then just now get a call from VisionStream saying that due to Chorus dumping Downer and awarding the contract to VisionStream, they now can't do my install until 2nd February 2017, as they need to relocate tech's from Auckland to Dunedin!!!!

Now I'm okay with Chorus awarding the contract to whomever the want, but seriously no installs to Feb, and I suspect that this date will move, I just have little confidence it won't.

Come on Chorus, you should have managed the transition better then this and ensured Dunedin wasn't left with long delays like this!

So if you are in Dunedin, be prepared for a long wait for UFB. So much for Gigatown....

Grumpy rant over :-)

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750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1680784 1-Dec-2016 16:31

Chorus called me yesterday and confirmed my site inspection and install date so hopefully it doesn't change..

Wheelbarrow01

1723 posts

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Chorus

#1680976 1-Dec-2016 23:08

You also have to remember that we are entering the busiest time of the year for LFCs and their technicians. There is a shortage of tech appointments all over the country for December and January (I know - I book them every day). Most of Auckland has no techs available for new installs until mid January now, and that is purely because the period when people have time to be home for installs wthout taking time off work (the Xmas/New Year holidays) is also the period when some techs all want to be on holiday too.

I am not saying you are not correct - but I am saying even if Chorus had not changed service companies, I believe there would still be a wait for an installation appointment at this time of year in most areas.

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

skewt

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1681596 3-Dec-2016 10:00

So for me, chorus have looked at my install and decided to proceed with the install today on inspection day instead of on the 12th! A great result considering UFB was ordered late Monday (28th) night

He mentioned they have had to delay a bunch of installs that cross in the path of power lines and don't come off a direct pole so I assume you have been affected by this :(

lxsw20

3552 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1681616 3-Dec-2016 10:37

Yeah there is a big debacle going on in Dunedin with power poles at the moment. Is it an over head install?

nicmair

244 posts

Master Geek

#1681627 3-Dec-2016 11:08

skewt, pleased yours went ahead.

With regards to install, would have to be one of the easier ones, all underground and easy access from the roadside to the house, not over head, but I guess they wont know any of that until next year.

The biggest issue is the mucking around, as I suspect Chorus/Downer/VoiceStream would all have known what was happening with Dunedin installs, to be told one thing, then another, then another is where I have a problem....

meesham

973 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1681641 3-Dec-2016 11:29

I had my install (in Dunedin) done in late October after a 60 day wait, when I was talking to the Downer tech he said the wait was then around 80 days and that around 2-3 technicians were quitting each week at Downer as the contract with Chorus came to an end.

He was also saying that a lot of installs were being delayed if they had to use Delta poles as a lot of them are red tagged.

skewt

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1681675 3-Dec-2016 11:53

I did notice the guy who installed my UFB today had a "VisionStream" sticker on his van.

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nicmair

244 posts

Master Geek

#1682466 5-Dec-2016 13:18

and an update, and lets call it the power of social media, and that someone from Chorus saw my post and thought, hell we can't let that happen.... :-)

but, get a phone call at midday, from Chorus, asking was I home, no, why, well we are booked to do your site inspection, so rather then say, hold it, its been rebooked for February, I said, give me 30min and I'll be there.... I get there, we have a chat for 10min about the how and what, I sign a few electronic forms and I ask so when are you going to do the actual install, he looks at me with a somewhat confused expression and says now.... so now I have two tech's here installing fibre.....

So I wonder what they will do in Feb :-)

Batman

Mad Scientist
29761 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1682478 5-Dec-2016 13:26

Oops. Maybe you can have a second connection :)))

djtOtago

1149 posts

Uber Geek

#1682510 5-Dec-2016 13:58

Got a txt from Chorus today informing me my 12th December install has now been rescheduled for 3rd February. wtf

I'm out of town for nearly all of February so I guess if I try and reschedule this new appointment I'll be put off until April.

My install was scoped 3 weeks ago, and at the time the guy who turned up re confirmed installation would still be the 12th, so Its not like Chorus didn't know the Job was coming up. Its not even a difficult install

At this point I'm peed off enough, that I'm very close to cancelling the whole fiber install.

l43a2

1779 posts

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#1682514 5-Dec-2016 14:02

nicmair:

and an update, and lets call it the power of social media, and that someone from Chorus saw my post and thought, hell we can't let that happen.... :-)

but, get a phone call at midday, from Chorus, asking was I home, no, why, well we are booked to do your site inspection, so rather then say, hold it, its been rebooked for February, I said, give me 30min and I'll be there.... I get there, we have a chat for 10min about the how and what, I sign a few electronic forms and I ask so when are you going to do the actual install, he looks at me with a somewhat confused expression and says now.... so now I have two tech's here installing fibre.....

So I wonder what they will do in Feb :-)

thats pretty awesome bro, nice xmas present :)

raytaylor

4014 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1686308 12-Dec-2016 07:57

February - wow your lucky.

In hawkes bay I tell people you are likely to be waiting 6 months before its installed.

Ray Taylor

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Batman

Mad Scientist
29761 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#1700419 9-Jan-2017 08:52

nicmair:

So, last week I thought, what the heck, time to go to UFB....

Placed order through my ISP, so far so good..

Two days later got call from Chorus saying site inspection planned for today, that was quick I thought, cool.... that was delayed to Monday at 6ish last night, okay I thought, I can work with that, (was advised that delay was due to not enough tech's being available, not totally happy, but okay, whats couple of days). Install was re booked for the 9th Dec. So far so good....

Then just now get a call from VisionStream saying that due to Chorus dumping Downer and awarding the contract to VisionStream, they now can't do my install until 2nd February 2017, as they need to relocate tech's from Auckland to Dunedin!!!!

Now I'm okay with Chorus awarding the contract to whomever the want, but seriously no installs to Feb, and I suspect that this date will move, I just have little confidence it won't.

Come on Chorus, you should have managed the transition better then this and ensured Dunedin wasn't left with long delays like this!

So if you are in Dunedin, be prepared for a long wait for UFB. So much for Gigatown....

Grumpy rant over :-)

They need to relocate techs from Auckland to all over the country?

1. How many techs do they have

2. How many places in the country did Downer used to service?

3. Why can't they just hire the existing Downer employees?

I'm asking because that sounds like Feb is just a cloud dream from what you're telling me!

Fuzzi99

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1702298 12-Jan-2017 22:57

Our cabinet area (Morrison St - Sidey St in Caversham) had the build finished the Monday before Christmas with the technicians on the street saying that the whole area is done and can be installed from tomorrow (Dec 21). Call my ISP they say the map says April 17 but put in a manual order. Get a call from them 2 days later saying Chorus rejected it on the grounds the area won't be finished with the physical build until Mar 31st.

Call Chorus and get the rudest customer rep saying the build will not be finished till Mar 31st and the technician (who had just finished working on the entire cabinet area) was wrong.

Planning to call Chorus again tomorrow and see what the hell is really happening now that the holiday season is over.

edit: spelling

meesham

973 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1702454 13-Jan-2017 09:36

Fuzzi99:

Our cabinet area (Morrison St - Sidey St in Caversham) had the build finished the Monday before Christmas with the technicians on the street saying that the whole area is done and can be installed from tomorrow (Dec 21). Call my ISP they say the map says April 17 but put in a manual order. Get a call from them 2 days later saying Chorus rejected it on the grounds the area won't be finished with the physical build until Mar 31st.

Call Chorus and get the rudest customer rep saying the build will not be finished till Mar 31st and the technician (who had just finished working on the entire cabinet area) was wrong.

Planning to call Chorus again tomorrow and see what the hell is really happening now that the holiday season is over.

Unfortunately this is normal. The Downer crew pack up and left my area at the beginning of July, I couldn't actually order the fibre until the 28th of August - I tried a manual order at the beginning of August and it got rejected.

Edit: Some good news for you (maybe) is the Chorus map kept saying "Available October" right up until the 28th of August when it suddenly became available (I was checking every day)

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