BT Openreach SFI2 Engineer Visits
If you are experiencing broadband issues, and you have raised a support case with us, we may be required to book a BT Openreach Special Fault Investigation (SFI2 visit).
BT will request this if they have remotely tested a broadband circuit, but no fault has been detected. The SFI2 process exists to ensure BT still investigate a circuit fault when it is not clear where the problem lies, it must be understood, however, that it is possible no BT fault exists, and in these instances, the engineer visit is chargeable.
When we request a BT SFI engineer, we will send a standard template e-mail to you to ensure that you agree all basic checks have been carried out, and that you agree to any possible charges.
What does the SFI engineer do?
This depends on the nature of the fault, but there are two distinct possibilities. One is that the BT engineer visits the exchange only and carries out checks remote from the end user premises. This is known as the Frames Direct Variant, and this happens if it is believed the fault is at the local exchange.
You may not have any contact with the engineer.
The other is the end user visit, which is known as the End User Variant. The SFI engineer can carry out a series of checks (known as modules) to troubleshoot connectivity issues.
These checks involve testing the phone line and checking the equipment is connected properly, checking the internal wiring is not causing any issues, and sometimes fitting a service specific up to date faceplate. The BT engineer will always test from the master socket, and will often advise if it likely any additional internal wiring is causing the problems.
Will the SFI engineer resolve my problem?
In most cases, yes. But faults can be complex sometimes, and if your particular issue falls into the category of a complex fault, then it is possible that further investigations are required.
How quickly can you organise the engineer?
This depends on how fast we have gone through the troubleshooting process, normally we can determine if we think a BT SFI engineer is required within 2-4 hours of the fault been raised; and often we can ensure a BT engineer can attend your problem within 2 working days.
The engineers work to 2 time slots, 08:00 – 13:00, and 13:00 to 18:00. These time slots are not flexible. Very often, the SFI2 engineer is limited to 2 hours for each issues s/he looks at, this can sometimes lead to frustration with complex faults, but is not often cause for concern.