Somerset households face new delays in getting superfast broadband after one of the companies leading the rollout had its contract terminated.
Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) was created to oversee the rollout of superfast fibre broadband in areas where it was not viable for commercial providers to put in the necessary infrastructure.
The programme has seen numerous setbacks, with the contracts for phase two re-procured after Gigaclear failed to deliver on time.
Now Truespeed Internet – one of three companies which replaced Gigaclear – has had its contract terminated for “failing to make commitments”.
The company won the contract in December 2020 to handle the outstanding premises in North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip and parts of Sedgemoor including rural areas of the Burnham-On-Sea area.
CDS programme manager Katriona Lovelock confirmed that Truespeed’s contract had been terminated at Somerset County Council’s environment scrutiny committee meeting.
She says in her report: “The contracts were terminated in July 2022, based on Truespeed’s failure to meet key contractual commitments made at the time contracts were awarded.”
“The contracts were due for completion by December 2024. However, commencement of construction work on the CDS contracts was severely delayed by Truespeed throughout 2021, while it sought to secure further investment in its commercial roll-out – which it planned to deliver in sequence with its CDS commitments.”
“Regrettably, securing further investment took considerably longer than Truespeed anticipated. Although Truespeed advised CDS that further funding is now in place, we were informed by the company that it is subject to new investment criteria and limitations.”
“This means Truespeed cannot meet its existing commitments in terms of deployment to CDS’ contracted communities.”
Ms Lovelock confirmed that “no public money has been paid to the company under the contracts.”
