Broadband and landline network provider Openreach has issued a statement on the estimated time it will take to resolve the ongoing internet situation in Basingstoke.

The area has been without internet for nearly 24 hours after ‘third party’ workers accidentally damaged the cables while working on a building site on Wednesday evening.

Openreach, which has been working to fix the damaged network, has confirmed that it is a complex problem and it won’t be completely recovered soon.

READ MORE: Internet and phone lines down in many parts of Basingstoke

An Openreach spokesperson said: “Engineers are on site working hard to resolve the situation, but it is a complex fix and may some time to completely recover.”

In the meantime, Openreach is working to provide temporary connections to vulnerable customers and key local services, which included Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospitals.

The spokesperson said: “We know how frustrating this must be for those affected and we’ll be doing what we can to prioritise fixes for vulnerable customers and key local services.

“We'll also do our best to provide temporary connections wherever possible while this challenging repair work is completed. We’d ask that anyone experiencing any disruption to report it to their service provider who will then inform us.”

Openreach has also confirmed that the network was accidentally damaged by a third party working on a building site on Wednesday evening, affecting phone and broadband services for around 4,000 homes, businesses and other organisations. 

According to TxRx Communlcations Ltd, a Basingstoke company providing telephone and high-speed internet services, roadworks at Brighton Hill roundabout have drilled straight through main Openreach cables between Basingstoke and Dummer.

The company tweeted: "Openreach tell me they are currently awaiting civils contractors to excavate the area around the damage. Then they will need to pull back damaged cables - copper and fibre, and repair ducts, then pull in new cables and joint. This feels like a day or two to me - maybe more?"

It later tweeted: "A Fibre Engineer has remained onsite and has confirmed that a third party company will be carrying out excavation work to expose the damaged cables, this is expected to take a few hours due to permits being required and the depth of the damage. A civils team are onsite ready to carry out duct work when the damage has been exposed. A replacement Fibre Engineer is due to arrive at 9am and arrangements are being made for replacement cable, jointers and cable gang."

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