Many residents and businesses have contacted me about the desperate need for better broadband. I know what it’s like to experience poor or unreliable broadband connections, and how frustrating it is. Around 95% of Fareham’s 43,000 properties are covered with superfast broadband. But for the 5% left behind, this means struggling on a daily basis to get a good connection.
The meeting was an excellent way to get an update on progress from BT, Virgin Media and Hampshire County Council, and to give local people an opportunity to hold them to account.
It gave residents the opportunity to put their own experience and questions to service providers and experts and to get an update of progress on improving the broadband service in affected areas. People have reported total failures to connect to a network, slow speeds of 1MB or less, and general poor connectivity which has led to phone line drop outs, no digital service for televisions, and intermittent or no connection to the internet.
The problem extends beyond Whiteley, with people in Highland Road, Newton Road, Tannersgate, Titchfield Common, Ranville Lane and other areas around Fareham also reporting problems.
At a previous public meeting in July BT Openreach agreed to resolve the problem, and have visited the Whiteley area 18 times since. But despite this they have failed to identify the cause of the problem.
BT announced at the meeting that they are now planning to install 5 new cabinets in Whiteley in a bid to improve services in the area. BT are also planning on replacing faulty wiring and to repair the exchange as part of an engineering works programme. Compensation will also be provided by BT to affected customers.
We live in the digital age and with so much of what we do now online it is simply unacceptable that so many people in Fareham still don’t have a decent broadband service. I am determined to do everything I can to support people in Fareham struggling with poor connection.