Gwersyllt Councillor Slams BT After Residents Left With No Phone And Broadband

A councillor has slammed BT after residents in certain parts of Gwersyllt have been left without the use of their phones and internet for a week.

Approximately 300 homes in the Pendine and Glascoed areas of Gwersyllt are still believed to be without telephone contact a week after it was first reported and two weeks since faults with broadband were first reported.

BT have indicated that the problem is unlikely to be resolved before the end of this week. BT Openreach have been working on a BT box on Summerhill Road near Glascoed Way and they also have temporary traffic lights on nearby Poolmouth Road.

Councillor for Gwersyllt West, Arfon Jones said: “This has now gone beyond a joke, this type of delay may have been acceptable in the 50s , but in these days of modern technology it most certainly isn’t. What makes it even worse is that BT come out with these press statements about improving the infrastructure and speeding up broadband when they cannot maintain the basic infrastructure that they have.

“It is questionable therefore whether the Welsh Government should hand over hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to BT when they cannot evidence a certain level of competence.

He added: “What I don’t understand is why some homes have broadband and no telephone, some have neither and some have phone but no broadband; unfortunately no one in BT seem capable of explaining this anomaly.

“I very much hope that all affected by these problems will seek compensation from BT. To hit the company in the pocket is the only way to ensure and improved service. I will also be complaining to OFCOM.”

A BT spokesperson said: “Openreach would like to apologise to around 300 customers affected by water damage to an underground cable in the Summerhill Road area of Gwersyllt.

“Engineers have been involved in major work to replace 500 metres of cable but because of the location traffic lights were required before work could begin.

“However, this work is now underway and it is hoped to be able to complete the repair by the end of tomorrow. The first customers should start to see service being restored some time this afternoon.”