Why Fibre Installations Often Take Longer Than Expected

You were told your fibre would be live in two weeks. But here you are, still waiting months later. It’s frustrating, makes you feel like your provider has taken you for a ride, and it throws off your plans. When you’re running a business, every day without reliable internet is a day of lost productivity — and potentially lost revenue.

I’ve spent years helping UK businesses navigate the realities of connectivity, and I can tell you that you’re not the only one waiting ages for your fibre to be installed. It’s rarely your provider “dragging their feet”: fibre installations are complex, with far more moving parts — councils, landlords, engineers, permits — than most people realise.

In this article, I’ll break down exactly why these delays happen, what they mean for your business, and how you can stay one step ahead so the process doesn’t derail your operations.

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What This Blog Covers:

• What’s Really Behind Fibre Delays
• Keeping Your Business Running While You Wait
• What You Can Control as a Customer
• The Truth Behind “Too-Good-to-Be-True” Timelines
• Building Trust Through Transparency
• Your Next Steps for a Smoother Fibre Journey
  

What’s Really Behind Fibre Delays

Installing fibre isn’t as simple as plugging in a router and can be a pain in the neck simply because there are so many factors at play that add to the timeline. As I mentioned in this article, most providers often promise 60 to 90 days to install a leased line, but in reality, it can take much longer. This is usually due to the additional work that comes along with it. So no provider can give you a 100% accurate installation date until the engineers get on-site and assess the project scope.

The site visit is usually when a bunch of hidden hurdles come up: road closures, traffic systems, temporary traffic lights, or missing permissions – all of which are needed before the fibre can be installed. These aren’t quick fixes either, because they require coordination with local authorities and other third parties, which adds time.

Permissions and Paperwork

There are quite a few external dependencies that determine when the work can actually begin, such as:

• Building access: If you’re in a multi-tenant building, engineers need wayleaves and internal cabling permission to run fibre inside. If the landlord hasn’t signed off, everything stops. In some instances, health inspectors also need to get involved.
• Fibre route: Similarly, if the fibre route crosses private land, the provider has to get permission from the landowner or check with the Land Registry before anything can go ahead.
• Roadworks: When additional digging and roadworks are required, local authorities have to grant permission in advance.

The Engineering Challenges

From a technical side, some of the most common blockers include:

• Duct issues: Sometimes the existing underground ducting is blocked or collapsed. Engineers then need to dig up and repair it before they can pull fibre through.
• No existing ducts: Older properties might not have any ducting at all. That means brand new civil works.
• Network readiness: Fibre might already be on your street, but the local exchange or cabinet might not be fully commissioned to support your connection yet.

The People and Parts Problem

Last but not least, another challenge worth mentioning is resource availability. The UK simply doesn’t have enough trained fibre engineers to meet the demand at the pace everyone wants. Additionally, certain equipment can be in short supply. If there’s a backlog at the manufacturer or distribution point, it affects rollout times.

The bottom line is that many of these issues are completely outside of the provider’s direct control, and are why you should take the installation timeline they give you with a grain of salt.

Keeping Your Business Running While You Wait

For small businesses, these delays can essentially grind operations to a halt. Whether you’re moving into a new office, hiring staff, or trying to keep services online for customers, you expect your leased line to be up and running. If it isn’t, you could be looking at some serious downtime: stuck relying on the same old product you were trying to replace in the beginning, or worse, with no internet at all.

That’s why we often step in with temporary solutions, like a 4G or 5G router, a short-term FTTP circuit if available, or even a backup service like SoGEA. These keep you connected until your fibre goes live. Yes, there’s usually a small cost involved, but it’s worth it to keep your business running.

What You Can Control as a Customer

Not all delays are out of your hands or the provider’s fault. In fact, I’ve seen plenty of installations delayed by customer-side issues like:

• Paperwork delays: As mentioned earlier, if wayleave agreements or approvals aren’t signed quickly, the process stalls.
• Slow responses: Every time a provider chases you for missing information, that’s extra days added to the calendar.
• Site access issues: Sometimes, engineers turn up for a site visit only to find locked gates and no one there to let them in.

Moving Premises? Don’t Forget the Internet

One of the most common mistakes I see is businesses signing a lease on a new site before checking the broadband infrastructure. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard: “We’re moving in six weeks, and we’ll need fibre installed before then.” Remember, most leased line installations take 60–90 days. If you’ve only given yourself six weeks, you’re already behind the curve.

Fortunately, these are the easiest problems to solve if you know what’s required ahead of time. So my advice is to be proactive. As soon as you know you’ll need fibre, start the process as early as you can. Respond quickly to provider requests, and make sure someone is always available to grant access to the engineers. Even shaving off a few days at each stage can save you weeks in the long run.

The Truth Behind “Too-Good-to-Be-True” Timelines

At this point, you might be wondering, ‘Given that there are so many aspects out of the provider’s control, why do they still tell me it’ll take “30 days” when they know it could take three months?’ The answer’s simple: they don’t want to scare you away with worst-case scenarios – regardless of whether they’re at fault or not. It’s easier to win your business with an optimistic number, and they have sales quotas to meet.

But this helps no one. When the reality hits and the delays inevitably happen, you feel let down and misled as a customer, and as a business owner, you lose your ability to plan with certainty. Ultimately, the result is that the provider loses your trust. That’s why I believe the best providers are the ones who are upfront with you from the start, even if it means admitting that “30 days” is impossible.

Building Trust Through Transparency

At the end of the day, what separates the providers who frustrate customers from those who earn trust is honesty. I’d rather set a realistic expectation from the start and keep you informed throughout. That way, there are no nasty surprises.

If there’s a delay, tell the customer. If there’s a problem with a site survey, explain it. Being open and upfront might mean sharing bad news, but that’s better than radio silence or sugar-coating. As providers, we want your line to be live just as much as you do (I mean, we don’t get paid until the product is in). So while the delays aren’t on purpose, there’s no benefit in hiding problems.

How We Handle It at Babble

At Babble, we’ve learned that the difference between a painful installation and a manageable one comes down to communication. We make sure our customers know exactly why there’s a delay, what’s being done about it, and what options they have in the meantime. Instead of giving false hope and questionable timelines, we:

• Explain all the potential bottlenecks up front.
• Provide regular updates so you’re never left guessing.
• Offer temporary connectivity if fibre is delayed.
• Work directly with landlords and councils to speed up approvals wherever possible.

It’s not about over-promising, but keeping you informed so you can plan confidently while staying connected.

Your Next Steps for a Smoother Fibre Journey

So yes, fibre installations can take longer than promised or expected. But now that you know why, you know how to take control. By preparing early, staying proactive, and working with a provider who’s transparent from day one, you can avoid the stress that catches so many businesses off guard.

Delays are frustrating, but they don’t have to derail your plans. Fibre is still the best long-term investment you can make in your connectivity: delivering the speed, reliability, and scalability your business needs to grow.

After years of helping UK businesses through these installations, I’ve seen how much smoother things run when customers know what to expect.

If you’re planning a move or a fibre upgrade, don’t wait until it’s urgent. Check your site’s connectivity options, get advice early, and choose a provider (like Babble) who’ll be upfront every step of the way. Let’s help you turn a potential nightmare into a success story.