BT hiring 1,600 engineers for broadband faults
May 19, 2014
BT is hiring an additional 1,600 engineers amid criticism from Ofcom over the speed at which new Internet connections are installed and faults are repaired.
BT, whose network is also relied on by dozens of other broadband providers including Sky and TalkTalk, has been warned by the watchdog for leaving customers stranded without web access for too long.
Later this week Ofcom will publish its final decision on new sanctions designed to ensure BT repairs faults within two working days and installs new lines within 12 working days.
“One customer being out of service for too long is one too many,” commented Joe Garner, chief executive of Openreach, which builds and maintains BT’s network. “Millions of customers depend on broadband and they rely on us to keep them connected, whatever the weather.”
Garner promised that by the summer, BT would publish regular information on its service performance.