How do I find out the actual status of my fibre or...

Question

Hi,
I am posting here in despair because I cannot get an answer I can understand about why my fibre broadband order has been "delayed". 
The call centre agents who ring me are not English and all they can do is repeat the same 5 sentences over and over again. 
Apparently, there is no technical department that I can speak to either which means I am expected to just accept the fact that my order is "delayed" and be happy about it.
My story is this.
I placed my order with BT on the 12th of July and was assured that:
- I could get fibre
- My phone line would be activated by midnight on the 23rd July
- An engineer would attend my property on the 24th July to install my fibre broadband
I was very happy and booked the 24th off work.
Then, two days ago, a person who I could barely understand because of a very thick accent told me that there was a"delay". 
What delay I asked? 
I was then told they would not know when I can have fibre until my phone line is activated. 
Why I asked?  What has my phone line got to do with it?  If you know which exchange I am going to, why does my phone line have to be active before I can be told when an engineer can attend my property?
I got absolutely no joy with getting an answer to this question.  Also, ominously, the agent mentioned something about there not being enough "slots at my exchange".  I asked when they were getting more.  At which point the guy repeated what he had said previously about there being a delay.
My questions are very, very simple.
When I placed my order, the sales person told me I could get fibre.  But, if there are not enough slots at my exchange then obviously I can't get fibre.  So which is it?  Can I get fibre or not?
Regardless of whether or not I can get fibre, why can't BT tell me one way or the other now?  Why do I have to wait until my phone line is activated before they can tell me if fibre is support or not?
Why can't BT tell me when they will be getting more "slots" if this is indeed why my order is "deleyed"?
Assuming that I can get fibre (which should be a fair assumption or BT should not have taken my order in the first place) and assuming that my phoneline activates as planned, why can't BT leave my booking for an engineer for the 24th?  Why have they cancelled my booking and why are they now making me wait until my phone line is active before making a new booking?
And finally, why can't anyone at BT actually give me any facts?  Either I can get fibre or I can't.  If there are not enough slots, then when are BT installing new ones?  Why should I be expected to wait around until the 24th for a magic date that may or may not materialise?  What kind of shop are BT running where a customer can place an order and be givein no idea whatsoever of when that order will be fulfilled?
Perhaps someone on this forum knows how the technical details work and can explain what is going on? 
Or maybe someone can advise me on how to gain answers to my questions from BT themselves?
Or maybe a BT representative could respond regarding why their order management team can't explain to a customer why their order has been delayed?
At this moment in time I wish I had never signed up with them.
Kind regards,
Jean Milne

Answer 1

I understand that an active phone line is required before the engineer can install my fibre.
What I don't understand is why BT will only place the order for my fibre engineer on the date they say my phone line will activate.
They have said my phone line will be activated "by midnight on the 23rd". 
Therefore, there is *no reason* why BT should not leave the original engineer date of the 24th as it was.
*If*, for whetever reason, the phone line does not activate on the 23rd as planned, *only then* should they cancel my engineer.
Instead, they have cancelled my order already and will not re-issue it until my phone line is activated.
And on top of that they have no idea how long the order will take once they do place it.  I am expected to sit here twiddling my thumbs until BT deign to bother to give me a date.
And this is all aside from the fact that the sales person *lied* to me when he said I could have both my phone line and my broadband on the same day.  I *specifically* checked this with him at the time I placed my order. I told him that I need broadband as soon as possible or I can't do my job and I was assured that there would be no problems.
And, this is all assuming there is not a fundamental reason that BT have kept hidden about why my order is delayed e..g. not enough slots at the exchange.  One of the agents I spoke to said that and then back-tracked big-time when I asked why my order had been taken if BT did not have the infrastructure to fulfil it.
All in all, the lies and the lack of information is completely unacceptable.
I have had no response to my requests for *actual facts* from the so-called Order Management Team which is also unacceptable.
I am left with no option but to sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for BT to maybe or maybe not give me a date.
Any other comapny that operated in this way would not be able to retain me as a customer but, unfortunately, in this case I have no choice but to suck up the bull BT are selling because they are the only company that can give me fibre.
It is beyond a joke.
At the very least, BT should have offered set up ADSL for free in the interim for utterly messing me around.
They have offered *nothing* except a measly text message stating that they "will be in touch".
It is a disgrace.