A VULNERABLE elderly couple in Holwell were cut off from the outside world for weeks after a ‘drunk driver’ knocked down a telephone pole.
Five properties at Fosters Hill were subsequently disconnected from phone services and broadband following the crash on March 27.
82-year-old Stuart Harris and his 78-year-old wife Caroline do not own a landline, and neighbours quickly got in touch with Openreach who sent an engineer down, which resulted in three properties being reconnected – but not theirs.
Despite suggestions by their provider EE that they would be reconnected by April 11, that day came and went with no sign of the replacement pole.
More complaints were made, which resulted in Openreach finally reconnecting their house on Tuesday (April 22) – almost a month after the crash.
Stuart, who ironically lives at The Post House, said: “I believe this to be very poor service by Openreach, particularly when excuses are made erroneously!
“My neighbours are likewise very inconvenienced!
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“I wonder if any other residents of West Dorset have experienced such indifference by a major service provider? Is this how elderly and not-so-elderly people living in rural areas are treated?”
Stuart says the almost month-long delay was made worse due to it affecting their ability to do online banking.
He added: “We are classed as vulnerable, yet we have no landline and rely on mobile phones in a poor reception area.
“Our contact details with GP and hospitals are via landline. I am awaiting a cataract operation and anticipate a cancelled appointment opportunity!
“Additionally, internet banking was affected, and without a local branch of Barclays in Sherborne, it is a 30-mile round trip to Yeovil or Dorchester for such a facility.”
Openreach has apologised for the delay in getting people reconnected.
An Openreach spokesperson said: “We’re sorry it’s taking time to get everyone reconnected after our network was damaged in a road traffic accident.
“The incident resulted in extensive damage to one of our poles, which [needed] to be replaced.”
Stuart says he will now be seeking compensation or a refund for services not provided.
Well seems like Stuart was lucky to get fixed as quick as he did! last year a low-loader when through Kings Stag, hit the bt wire across the road and pulled it down (that was on 1 May) and after a lot of toing and froing with Openreach, a new pole was erected that had to be removed as blocking vision from driveway! then another pole erected and the whole process took until 10th June for me to be back on. I had no internet or bt line! I must say Openreach did compensate me and were very apologetic – but I could just never understand why they never got it right in the first place and it took so so long!