This is the beautiful village of Broadway in the cotswolds.
Then this happened! Full Fibre arrived to install a number of 14m high broadband poles. This was after Gigaclear had installed state of the art 110mm ducting underground in the pavements.
If you think you live in a civilised democracy, think again.
The government’s desire to have Ultra fast broadband available to every house would appear to be a great idea. As with all ideas, it is all about the execution. In spite of new underground ducting specifically installed for the purpose of fibre broadband, Full Fibre insisted that the poles had to be installed.
It is doubtful that the intention was for law abiding, taxpaying residents to be threatened with arrest, and their cars towed away, but this genuinely happened.
The lady in the photos above was threatened with arrest by the the Special Police Protest Removal Team, (who were sent especially from London to attend), while Full Fibre were allowed to put a 14m pole outside her 88 year old mother’s bedroom window.
She would have stood firm, but William, her ten year old son had begged her not to be arrested, and was genuinely frightened that it may happen. He was right.
She had to choose between protecting her mum’s property and picking up her son from school.
The law of unintended consequences is dividing communities, and destroying the aesthetics of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It makes one wonder why the fibre to the property could not be installed in the brand new 110mm ducting neatly and carefully installed by Gigaclear just a few weeks ago!
Gigaclear’s permit to complete this work was inexplicably revoked, while Full Fibre appear to be able to have street work permits approved with a moment’s notice.