Latest NewsplanningRichmond Council

BT in hot water over broadband boxes

PlanningYou may have noticed new green broadband boxes appearing in the area over the last month – these are being installed by contractors in chosen towns across the UK to continue the rollout of the new high-speed broadband BT Infinity.

Teddington is to be included in the second wave of available exchanges to use this new service on the 31st March 2011 that will enable ADSL speeds of 40Mb.

However Richmond Council has officially requested more information from BT senior representatives about the recent sudden rise in green broadband cabinets across the borough.

Residents have been contacting the council concerned about the location and sheer number of these boxes. Only some of these have been officially applied for through the planning permission process and some have been installed in conservation areas without any permission requested at all.


One planned and another installed box.

Officials from BT will meet with Richmond Council next week to explain how the locations were chosen, why they are necessary and why some have been installed in conservation areas without permission. In the meantime BT has agreed to not install any in conservation areas until planning consent has been given.

Current BT applications for Teddington area (requested on the 4th of February):
[googlemaps http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=217389138143258665817.00049c2d53d9272e92ca5&ll=51.428541,-0.332294&spn=0.009365,0.021458&z=15&output=embed&w=500&h=350]

[Update 25th March 2011] Almost all of these applications have been refused by Richmond Council planning dept.

[Update 1st April 2011] Notes from the meeting between Richmond Council and representatives of BT concerning the size and placement of these boxes.

Comments

2 thoughts on “BT in hot water over broadband boxes

  • Thanks Richmond Council, now I have to put up with my terrible internet connection till October! I guess removing those small boxes that barely make an impact on our towns aesthetics are much more important than recieving the internet service that we actually pay for! I actually had a glimmer of hope that I might be able to enjoy my hobbies again, unfortunately not.

    Reply
  • Peter Stringfellow

    And 4 years later still no BT fibre in Teddington

    Reply

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