Broadband rollout causes road chaos in Bournemouth

Drivers in the Bournemouth area are being subjected to huge inconvenience on the roads as a result of the rollout of super-fast broadband in the area.

Many residents and businesses in the Bournemouth area are looking forward to being able to get access to high speed broadband services, which are in the process of being rolled out. This is because the fibre optic cables being used as part of the Fibrecity Project were originally going to run through the sewers, but Wessex Water pulled the plug on this due to technical and financial reasons.

Due to this decision roads in the area are having to be dug up so that the project can still go ahead, but this is causing huge issues for those that need to drive in the area. The company behind the project, i3, aims to get the project in place by the autumn, but complaints are already coming in from those living in the area who are suffering the inconvenience of the roads being dug up.

An official from i3 said: “When we announced Fibrecity Bournemouth, it was with the permission of Wessex Water to utilise the pipes where appropriate, keeping disruption to residents and businesses to a minimum. We had completed successful trials and planned to move on to delivery on a commercial basis. During the rollout, contractual issues have meant that we have had to find alternative means to deliver Fibrecity Bournemouth.”

He added: “As our technology uses three low-cost methodologies, we have been able to avoid the rollout coming to a halt, and all works being carried out in Bournemouth are with the consent of the borough council, having gone through the necessary planning routes.”

Source – Bournemouth Echo