BT expands its 21CN to Northern Isles
BT broadband provider has revealed its plans to deploy 70km fibre optic submarine cable line between Orkney and the Scottish mainland as a part of extending its 21CN programme to the Northern Isles, according to a report.
The ISP has signed a deal with Global Marine Systems which will install the network between Skaill Bay in Orkney to Dunnet Bay near Thurso. The network will co-exist with the current microwave radio links and provide access to 21CN network to the users in the Northern Isles.
Brendan Dick, Director BT, Scotland said:
“This is another major step in the preparatory work we are progressing so that people living in the Northern Isles can share in the benefits that our next-generation network will bring,”
He further said:
“Nearly 60 exchanges in the islands, from the largest to the smallest, will have existing equipment removed and replaced with 21st Century kit.
“And it will be well worth the wait, because every exchange, no matter how remote, will have the same capability as a city centre exchange.”
It should be noted that Global Marine has successfully installed a cable network between the UK and Guernsey in the Channel Islands, a couple of months ago. Meanwhile, BT is also set to install new equipment in more than 1000 exchanges in Scotland.
Although I should not be sending this email from work, it is my only option, as it appears that having moved my BT Broadband contract from Birsay to Sandwick, I am now without Broadband. Further to this I have tried to order BT Broadband for someone in Birsay, the 1st order was placed on 5th June 08 – 15 orders later and 2 lots of equipment sent, we still can not get it. I have spent hours on the phone to BT and all they say is to keep re ordering, no one will give you any information, so when I read your statement above, the question that come to me is ‘WHEN’ when is every exchange going to receive the same service that customers receive south. When I lived south I was paying the same for a service which was more than twice efficient to what I can get on Orkney. So why is BT not obliged to give us that service if they are charging us the same as everyone else in the UK. When will we have this 21st Centry Kit. Believe me it is very frustrating when you are contacting BT and you are on hold and in a que and have been for over an hour, that the call keep being interupted with a voice over message saying that your query can dealt with on line at BT.com – BUT I CAN’T GET ON LINE