ANGUS GLENS residents have been left isolated and cut off for more than two weeks, following a fault in their phone line.
Homes in the Lintrathen area have been without internet access and telephone communication since before Christmas after damage was inflicted on a cable in the Lintrathen exchange area.
Repairs have yet to be carried out on the problem and frustrated residents remain in the dark as to when repairs will be carried out.
Roger Clegg, chairman of Kirriemuir Landward West Community Council, is one of the residents who has been without telephone or internet connection since December 23 and said the situation is “unacceptable”.
He reported the fault the following day but was told that the problem would not be resolved until January 3.
Several phone calls later, and after making attempts to track repair progress via BT’s website, Mr Clegg was told that permission was being sought by contractors to dig a hole in the road and set up traffic lights and that the next update would not be until January 15.
Mr Clegg said: “This is a rural area and the telephone and internet connections are vital links, as indeed they are in any modern community.
“Mobile phone signals are at best patchy and unreliable. Our best signal is achieved by standing outside in the garden which is not always a pleasant experience in mid-winter.
“I am the chairman of the local community council and I understand from other residents in the area that telephone problems are widespread.
“This view was confirmed when I received a text from BT on January 3 saying they needed more time to fix the fault because ‘it affects many customers’.
“It is totally unacceptable to take all this time and for no one to tell us anything.”
Mr Clegg said that the problem has cast light on several other issues, such as high-speed broadband provision in the area, and also suggested several questions must now be asked.
He added: “I hear much about high speed broadband, the introduction of 4G and the Scottish Government’s aim to improve broadband connectivity in remote and rural areas but all this seems wildly over optimistic when BT struggles to maintain even the most basic of service.
“BT has a monopoly of the infrastructure and I suspect produces healthy profits but little investment seems to be being made in rural areas.”
He added: “To be without a phone and internet connection for weeks is surely unacceptable in this day and age.”
A spokeswoman for BT confirmed it was investigating the fault.
“Unfortunately, a cable in the Lintrathen exchange area has been damaged by a third party,” the spokeswoman said.
“Eight local households are affected.
“The damage is quite extensive and 150 metres of underground cable and plastic piping needs to be replaced.
“Engineers were unable to effect a temporary repair and have drawn up plans for permanent repairs.
“Due to the location of the damage, permission has been sought to allow traffic management measures to be put in place.
“If all goes smoothly and no further underground issues are uncovered, it is hoped that the works may be completed by the end of this week.
“We are sorry the repairs are taking longer than usual and we do hope to have services restored as soon as possible.
“In situations like these, service providers are able to put in place line diverts to alternative devices such as mobile phones to ensure that people can remain in touch.
“Mr Clegg does not have a divert at the moment and BT Retail is trying to get hold of him on his mobile to offer a divert.”
mdalziel@dcthomson.co.uk