OpenReach Delays in Boldron

OpenReach's 'unfeasible' terms and conditions delay broadband rollout in Boldron.

16:28 16 September 2019

Boldron residents are left frustrated after a year long attempt to get super fast broadband ended in failure. They now have to wait almost another year to find out if the scheme can be launched through Digital Durham. 

 

Residents are currently using their landlines to connect to the internet and get about 0.8 megabits per second. However, some are unable to get mobile broadband because the signal is too weak. 

 

OpenReach has recently confirmed that they are willing to carry out the work as long as a contract is signed by a legal entity who would be responsible if recipients of a government voucher fail to meet their obligation to sign up to a 12-month contract. 

 

One of the residents, Iain Baxter, said that OpenReach’s terms and conditions are simply not feasible. 

 

He said: “No one in their right mind would put their hands up and say ‘I’ll be the legal entity’.

 

“Understandably the parish council cannot withstand this risk and, on a personal level, I am not prepared to underwrite that risk and doubt anyone else in the community would be prepared to act as a legal entity under these conditions.”

 

Mr Baxter hopes that the Digital Durham scheme, which has already provided superfast broadband to other rural communities, may help with funding.