Furious Gosport man wants "eyesore" telegraph pole removed by toob as Dame Caroline Dineage MP brings issue to OFCOM

A toob telegraph pole was installed on Field Close, Gosport “without any forewarning or chance to object”. John Rowlands, who lives on the Woodside estate in Gosport, said that seeing the pole each day makes him “pretty fed up” He claims that around six poles have been installed on the estate in recent years, to the chagrin of local people.

John Rowlands said: “This pole was installed 16 centimetres from my garden wall - and as far as I’m concerned it blights my back garden. It’s an eyesore. I asked Toob to either remove it or move it. They said that they have been around to survey it again, and they don't think there is anywhere else they can put it. I think, in that case, it should be removed and taken out. I would like to see this pole removed. I did say to toob that if this had happened to any of their back gardens, they wouldn’t like it anymore than I like it."

John explained that the estate was originally built without any telegraph poles due to underground infrastructure for its utilities. He claims that he has been told by representatives from the company over the phone that he will need to simply “get used to” the new addition to his neighbourhood. He added: “Toob has come along and just ruined that.”

Bridgemary councillor Stephen Hammond, who also lives on the estate, said he has repeatedly contacted Toob about the issue to no avail. He added: “I have had a lot of people contact me about the same issue. There is a lot of frustration that they haven’t used the ducts that already exist on the whole estate to every house. I’ve done a survey myself on [the street] behind John’s house. There is not one person on cable down there, so the ducts are all empty. I don't think that anyone on the estate is against the service. It should be underground.”

The issue has been raised to Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage, who will meet with Julia Lopez, minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, on Monday following concerns from a number of residents that they have not been consulted over telegraph pole sitings.

Caroline first received complaints from residents that they were being ignored by toob, the company responsible for erecting telegraph poles on multiple roads in Alverstoke, in Spring 2023. Under the 2003 Electronic Communications Code Regulations, operators are required to share apparatus where possible. New measures introduced by the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 made it easier for operators to upgrade and share the use of existing underground ducts and telegraph poles.

In December, Caroline wrote to OFCOM asking the regulator to intervene, having written to the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport Minister Sir John Whittingdale the month before to seek his views on how affected constituents could take action against toob. In January OFCOM responded to advise that they were taking no enforcement action, as their role only extended as far as regulation, and not “in enforcement of the Electronic Communications Code or planning legislation.” Caroline met with representatives from OFCOM on Tuesday 19 March, seeking a further explanation as to why OFCOM had not intervened, as well as further steps that could be taken.

Speaking after meeting with OFCOM representatives, Caroline said: “Since concerns were first raised with me last year I have been concerned over a lack of dialogue between toob and my constituents. It isn’t right that toob can ride roughshod over local communities without their prior consent – especially as toob have a duty to share existing infrastructure wherever possible and practicable.

“I am glad that, following similar incidents across the country, the Minister is taking an interest in this issue and I am looking forward to raising the concerns of my constituents with her and the Government in the hope of reaching a positive outcome.

“In the meantime, I hope that toob can find time to engage with me in a constructive manner so that we can move forward productively on this issue.”

Following an open letter from the Telecoms Minister Julia Lopez MP to all fixed-line operators on March 14, Caroline will meet with her on Monday, March 25 to discuss further what can be done to ensure that telegraph poles erected by toob are done so with popular support and are only done so as a last resort, where there is no existing infrastructure both above or below ground.

A spokesperson from toob said: :Our engagement with Gosport started in November 2022 and we received overwhelming support for our network build. Our work in Gosport has included engaging with local residents and conversations with local councillors and Caroline Dinenage MP, these communications have been ongoing and frequent. We carefully plan our network to ensure minimal disruption to residents, and wherever possible we use existing networks and ducts where we are able, mainly BT’s ducts and poles. Where these do not exist or are not useable, we deploy our own infrastructure and engage with local residents before deciding whether to proceed.

"In the Field Close area, we received two complaints that have been responded to directly. This road does not currently contain BT ducts and the most viable solution was deemed to be a new telegraph pole. So far, we have invested over £10m into Gosport and have a network covering over 20,000 premises with over 2,000 customers since we launched the service in August of last year. We are a local company serving local communities, and we do not want to alienate residents, this is why we work hard to communicate openly with councillors, MPs, and affected households, encouraging feedback directly to us.”