Representatives from Ellerker Parish Council met with the Openreach Chief Engineer – Technical Fibre on Friday 3rd May 2024 to discuss the proposed sites of additional wooden telegraph poles required to improve and future-proof broadband speed to the village. Further information was provided for residents at the Annual Parish Meeting on Thursday 9th May 2024.

The additional poles will be on Howden Croft Hill with 2 positioned on the opposite verge and 1 near the top of the hill on the house side. There will also be 1 additional pole on Ring Beck Lane. The telegraph poles will support the upgrade of the old copper network to full fibre. Poles need to be closer together to support the upgrade but only this part of the village requires new poles due to the age of this part of the network. There will be one single new wire connecting these telegraph poles.

It was clear that Openreach and other providers have faced residents’ opposition in other villages and are taking every step they can, within the realms of what is possible, to minimize disruption and protect views from houses. Residents have had the opportunity to contact BT Openreach as per the information provided on the current telegraph poles. The benefit to residents will be an increase in Broadband speed from circa 80 Mbps to 900Mbps. The work should be completed by the end of July.

The planned installation date for the new telegraph pole on Ring Beck Lane (Opposite Holmfield) is Tuesday 14th May and the Howden Croft Hill poles on Friday 17th May 2024. The Howden Croft Hill Poles will be opposite the boundary of Howden Croft / Rosemount, Rise Garth / Hill Garth and outside Mayflower (Just to the north of the gate but shielded by the current trees).