Thousands of Basingstoke residents will be left without internet and landline during the weekend and beyond, it has been confirmed.

Although Openreach engineers managed to bring many homes, businesses and two hospitals back online over the past 24 hours, the network provider has confirmed that it will take longer to fix a part of its network.

An Openreach spokesperson said the repairs to its fibreoptic network are progressing well, but it will take longer to fix its copper network.

This means, many households and businesses in Basingstoke that have a copper network for internet will not have internet for the coming days.

They are expected to be fixed only by next week.

An Openreach spokesperson said, “Our specialist engineers will continue to work over the weekend and into next week to repair the damage caused earlier this week. 

“While repairs to our fibreoptic network are progressing well and many homes and businesses are now back online, it’s taking longer to fix our copper network.  For this reason, some customers may find that their broadband is back online more quickly than their land line. 

“We’d like to reassure everyone that we’re doing our best to get everyone reconnected as quickly as possible and thank everyone affected again for their patience.”

One Basingstoke resident, who has been without internet since Wednesday, said he was told his internet would be fixed only by Thursday, June 16.

“I am one of the customers whose broadband and phone was cut off on Wednesday. 

“BT is saying that they have reconnected the hospitals, which will obviously have been a priority, along with thousands of customers.  However, my broadband provider has checked with BT and they have given a date of possibly next Thursday before it is repaired.

“BT have not responded to my fault report placed on Wednesday, neither is there any indication on their reporting website that there is an issue at all!”

Hospitals, businesses and around 4,000 Basingstoke families had their internet cut off on Wednesday evening after Hampshire County Council’s contract workers accidentally damaged an underground network cable while undertaking the Brighton Hill roundabout piling works.

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