Townhouse Cable Installation

[rhys09]

Hi Everyone, I'm having a few issues getting cable Internet installed, really appreciate any help you can provide.

So here's the situation:

• I called the sales team and asked if they can install cable Internet into a townhouse. The Optus representative said yes as we are the front street facing townhouse and the Optus HFC cable runs along the street. 
• We went along with the order for the 24 month Unlimited data option and the representative booked a technician visit to have the HFC cable installed.
• The technician arrived at my premises this morning and had to get approval from is supervisor to proceed with the install. His supervisor said he couldn't go ahead with it because Optus have a policy saying that they can't install cable where there are more than 3 townhouses on a block (we have 4: 2 front facing, 2 rear facing). 
• However the tech inspected my property anyway and said there was nothing stopping him from completing the install (e.g. good distance from street cable, good height, plenty of cable mounting points). He said everything was fine for it to be installed, except this Optus policy preventing his company from proceeding. 
• When I called Optus about it the best answer they could give is that they don't install to more than 3 because the quality of service would decrease. He said they had issues in the past where they had complaints that the service was bad. He said there was nothing they could do and cancelled the order. 
• The way I understand this is they think the HFC cable will be servicing all 4 townhouses at once and therefore the quality/speed will suffer. But the cable is only for my townhouse...why is it any different to a regular house?

If anyone can provide any help or assistance with this I would really appreciate it. Does anyone know of a way to get past this policy and have the HFC cable installed?

Our current ADSL2+ connection with Telstra constantly drops out - have had techs out numerous times to fix it but they don't seem to care.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Rhys

[Nghi]

Hi rhys09, our Activations Team will be able to escalate your order and request a drive by from a network engineer to do an assessment of your property. Generally we do not offer HFC/cable to Multi Dwelling Units but on a case by case basis it can be investigated. Please give our Activations Team a call on  1300760016.

[rhys09]

Hi

Thanks for your reply. I gave the activations team a call and explained my situation. They called the local exchange who perform the cable installations and they said they wouldn't send another tech out. They said that based on the previous technician visit, my house was not serviceable by cable and that there was nothing they could do.

I asked the activations representative if he could escalate it further and he said there was nothing else he could do.

Do I have any other options? It doesn't seem to make any sense as the technician that visited my premises the first time said there was no reason he couldn't install it.

Thanks again for your help.

[Hollie]

Thanks for the update ryhs09

I've just sent you a private message - if you can send through your details I'll have a chat to our serviceability team and just confirm whether or not we can install Cable there. It sounds as though we may not be able to connect it but more than happy to follow this up and confirm either way for you.

[s_b_o_s]

I have exactly the same problem and have been told that because of optus policy I cannot get cable to my townhouse.

During constructtion I even installed a dedicated cable for future connection to the front of the street but this still does not matter.

I have heard the around my area people with existing optus cable have been offered a hfc trial. Any chance of getting this?

My current adsl connection is truly 3rd world with avg speeds of 5.5Mbit and constant drop outs.

Please help.

Kind regards

Rob

[Nghi]

Really sorry to hear that s_b_o_s 😞 There can be many reasons why a property isn't serviceable. As for the NBN over HFC trial, you actually need an existing connection before are eligible. It is a trial to test multiple systems and only open to existing customers. However if trial goes well then your area may be fast-tracked for NBN over HFC once it is released to public.

[s_b_o_s]

Its very easy to say that there are many reasons why a property isn't serviceable. Please give me one that is applicable in my situation??

Everytime I have contacted Optus its been a different reason. Very unprofessional Optus.

[Nghi]

Hey s_b_o_s, I can only provide general information given the information provided. If you could private message me your full address with postcode plus your name and a contact mobile number please? I can refer this to our Cable serviceability team within the tech area and ask for a determination on whether address is eligible for Cable.

[GimmeCable]

My experiences were very similar. I'm about to move into my new town house (street facing and on separate land title).

1. Call Optus for the first time and was told that my new house was not servicable with Cable internet (but the street has Optus cable)

2. A couple of days later dropped into an Optus shop hoping they could do a more thorough check and was also told that I can't get it. I told him to check another house number in the same street and that house shows up with Cable being available.

3. Was just having a chat to my neighbour who has just moved into the other town house (also street facing) and was told that the technician was going out there to install Optus Cable for him.

4. I then rang Optus again but was told due to their policy, more than one property cannot have cable installed????

It seems like it depends who you talk to at Optus, you get a different story and treatment and the fact that I lodged my Cable request first before my neighbour.

Is there an Optus rep that can investigate my case and see I can still get Cable?

Many thanks!

[Shae]

Not good to hear GimmeCable 😞 Can I ask if it's just this one townhouse that's on a separate title? Without knowing the specifics I wouldn't be able to say why you're unable to have cable at the address, but if you can send me a PM with the address, we can have a look into it for you - Shae