NO fibre optic broadband cables will be laid along the route of the Gas to the West pipeline to Fermanagh, BT have confirmed. 

 

There had been calls for the cables to be installed as the gas pipe was being built, as the cost of doing so would be cheaper and more convenient for BT than digging to lay the cables themselves.

 

However, following a query from the chief executive of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Brendan Hegarty, the communications company said they had not identified any opportunities to extend their network as part of the major infrastructure project. 

 

In a letter sent to the Council, BT Northern Ireland managing director of networks Alex Crossan said BT was a member of the Northern Ireland Roads and Utilities Committee (NIRAUC) and as such had been made aware of the planned civil engineering works across the North, such Gas to the West. 

 

Mr Crossan said a BT engineering planning and design team had discussed the option of laying cables with SGN Natural Gas representatives, who are responsible for the Gas to the West project, but “given the differing nature of design and installation of the BT network to that of the gas network, no opportunity has been identified for the simultaneous laying of BT fibre cables in this instance.”

 

He added BT would “continue to look for duct laying opportunities as and when suitable civil engineering projects were announced.”

 

At last week’s monthly meeting of the council at the Town Hall in Enniskillen, councillors called for BT to answer for the poor availability of their broadband service in many parts of Fermanagh.

 

Council chairman Cllr Thomas O’Reilly called for a service of “broadband to the home”, where fibre optic cables are installed straight into buildings rather than connecting the buildings to a junction box, providing much faster speeds for customers. 

 

Cllr O’Reilly said the service would be “a game changer” for Fermanagh, creating opportunities for business creation and growth, and said “we should’ve had it 20 years ago.”  Citing areas such as Derrylin and Newtownbutler as examples of areas in the county where the system of connecting to a junction box wasn’t working, where some homes and businesses located within a few hundred metres of the boxes unable to connect, other members also called for action to be taken. 

 

Referring to an OFCOM report which put Fermanagh at the bottom of the league for broadband speeds in the North, councillors said the situation was “ridiculous” and said BT must account for the service they were providing. The members agreed to write to BT asking the company to send a representative to come and address the Council on the issue.