Almost a month on, some Fibrus Customers are still awaiting reconnection

Mid-Ulster UUP spokesperson Jay Basra has voiced serious concern over the delayed restoration of this essential service, emphasising the urgent need for swift action and transparency with their customers.

I find it extremely concerning that, at the moment, some customers are not being informed of any timeline for either restoration or installation of their service from Fibrus. There is a severe lack of transparency; you only have to briefly scour social media to see people’s many complaints about the quality of service.

For many, broadband services act as people's only way of staying in contact with elderly neighbours, especially those who no longer use landline phones; many people already feel isolated once they close their doors at night after work. Not to mention the problems many communities, especially rural, face with a lack of connectivity, an internet connection is vital for checking in on family and friends during these uncertain times, with rising costs and a mental health crisis.

For instance, I was contacted by an elderly lady about her installation as she had joined weeks before Storm Eowyn hit. She contacted Fibrus only to be told she was in the backlog and there was no clear timeline and to wait to be contacted.

If you have not been connected yet, it is important to ensure you receive your compensation from Fibrus. To do this, check Fibrus’ official social media pages or my own for guidance.

There are serious questions to be asked of Fibrus; I have submitted an FOI around their response to the storm and the backlog, as well as associated times for reconnection. Customers deserve transparency and a service that you can rely on, even in tough circumstances. This is the standard we should hold Fibrus to, and it's important that they meet it.