cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Dangerous Router Set Up

First time poster and new NOW Broadband customer 😬

I’ve had many problems since first placing my order last month and finally had BT Openreach arrive - hours late - to set up my FabFibre. 

They refused to set up in an existing BT socket in my bedroom and instead installed it in my 4 year old’s bedroom, which is right behind his bed. Clearly this is unsafe. I have spoken to NOW but although they agree it should have been put somewhere else, they say BT will not come again so they won’t ask them, and that I should call an electrician. 

My son is a typical 4 year old and I’m concerned about the router right next to his bed. I could tuck it behind but then this would be a fire risk. I really can’t afford to pay someone to do this as I imagine it will be a lot of money?

Does anyone have any advice? Can I do it myself? Can I get a cable to extend the router to outside his room?

Any help greatly appreciated xx

 

7 REPLIES 7
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User

I understand your frustration with BT Openreach where i am guessing the Engineers are on a time frame given by their Management to undertake a task or can't be bothered and look at the quickest installation solution which doesn't always suit the customer needs.

Normally BT installs the Master Socket just inside the property such has the entrance hallway or close to the front door on the installations i have come across in the past (though every job is different depending on the property).

If you have a secondary active BT telephone socket somewhere in the house you could try  plugging in the nowtv hub router to see if the internet works but there is no guarantee mind.

You could also look at an RJ11 extension cable and plug it into the master BT socket in your 4 year old bedroom and relocate the nowtv Hub router outside the bedroom local to a power point and either run the RJ11 cable underneath the carpet or clip the cable to the skirting boards to avoid a trip hazard.

Again i can't guarantee it would work because i am no telephone engineer and haven't seen what's involved.

Ideally employing a professional telephone engineer to relocate the master socket would be the safest & best course of action.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Many thanks for your reply. 

There is also another BT socket in the room next to the door downstairs, so I’m not sure why they didn’t do it there either.

I’ve tried both of the other sockets and gone through the set up but neither of them connect. The people living here previously had Virgin Media in every room so perhaps they disconnected them? The roof tv aerial is disconnected too. 

I think I am going to have to try your suggestion of the RJ11 cable first and hope that works. 

NowTV suggested I go to Virgin instead, which seems bizarre that they’d rather lose a customer than ask BT to come again.

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User

Does the telephone socket in your bedroom work ?

If so try plugging in the nowtv Hub Router to the telephone socket in your bedroom (use the twin adpator and microfilter that came in the box) to see if you get three green lights on the  front of the router, then you are good to go to use the internet.

Edit - Ignore this post, i have just seen your post that none of the other BT phone sockets work in your home. 

 

ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User @schnapps @Anonymous User

Hi Rachel

As a parent myself, I would never allow an engineer to put technical, and potentially dangerous, equipment in my children's room, even if they were still teenagers. Such equipment are so tempting for little hands to explore when mum and dad are not looking.

I would say the following, send a letter/email of complaint to Now TV and BT, copying in Ofcom, emphasizing the potential danger your child has been put in, and demand, not ask, that they move the router from your 4 year old's room to a safer location. 

If you get no reply or they try and fob you off then put in a formal complaint to Ofcom and, if you can, cancel your Now TV account.

There is absolutely no excuse for an engineer to install any sort of equipment in a child's room, such behaviour is tantamount to "gross negligence".

There is no reason that you, as a mother with a  young child, should accept this untenable situation of a BT engineer coming into your home and failing to observe the most basic of safety rules, i.e. you do not put children in harm's way.

I've copied the Now TV Team into this post as well, hopefully someone will contact you with a solution.

 

UK Bob

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thank you so much Bob. I’ll be making a formal complaint as you suggest and hope that I will get a solution. 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

So I contacted BT Openreach with my complaint directly and they couldn’t have been more helpful - really impressed with them. They contacted me personally and have now moved the router.

Still heard nothing from NOWTV which is really disappointing and shows they have no care for their customers at all. I’m thinking of asking another provider if they’ll match my current plan with NOW as this situation doesn’t bode well for the future with them.

ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User @schnapps

Hi again Rachel

I am glad that you were able to assert your rights, and especially your 4 year old rights, to have equipment installed safely in your home.

You see Rachel, there are times when just "asking nicely" does not get you your rights or the job done, there are times when you have to "stand strong", you did and got your son out of danger. 

And finally, as a customer you can spend your money wherever there is good customer service and you are treated properly, never ever accept any company that makes you feel as if they are doing you a favour by letting you spend your money with them.

Best of luck for the future.

 

UK Bob