Why TalkTalk's snub of Scottish islanders over two-week internet disruption is an outrage
Telecoms companies’ response to the Shefa-2 cable break, that left hundreds of people in the Northern Isles without an internet connection, has been woeful
Catastrophic damage can happen in an instant; repairing that damage takes time. That is true of telecommunications cables under the sea; it is true, too, of the reputations of telecommunications companies themselves.
Hundreds of people in the isles were left without internet from the early hours of Saturday, July 26, until just a few hours ago as I write, due to an apparently accidental cable cut. Repairs to the cable – disrupted further by summer storms – have finally ended almost two weeks of disruption which harmed local services, businesses and individual families.
No one has covered themselves in glory over the Shefa-2 cable break, but the Hall of Infamy for this incident surely must place TalkTalk at its head. Their snub of islanders seeking answers and support has left people utterly outraged – and with good cause.
Dismissive and evasive
Some network providers were at least prepared for disruption of this sort. Indeed it is because some companies had thought ahead and had access to alternative connections that most people in the isles were not (directly) affected by the cable cut.
Other companies, such as Vodafone, were frankly unprepared and have taken their lumps for that. They have, however, taken steps in recent days to respond and to improve their communications – after some gentle encouragement. Of course, it really should not take an email from a local MP to spur some action from a company, but if that is the lever that needs to be pulled, then I have no shame in doing so.
Then there is TalkTalk. The messages I and others have received from them have been dismissive and evasive, shifting blame and refusing to engage with local frustrations about their service and their communication.
To hear it from TalkTalk, there is nothing that they could or can do beyond sitting on their hands. The reality that other providers were able to secure alternative coverage apparently does not merit any discussion.
Islanders will remember
That would be bad enough if the company were at least willing to make itself accountable to its customers, but instead TalkTalk have refused all requests to meet virtually, let alone to send a representative to the isles to account for their actions – or lack thereof.
It goes without saying – but it should be remarked upon as well – that if a proportionate level of network disruption were visited upon Glasgow or Edinburgh or London then a near-two-week wait for coverage to be restored would be considered utterly unacceptable. Somehow when it is the isles – for all our strategic and economic importance to Scotland and the UK as a whole – this sort of slow-rolling response is taken for granted.
I suspect, however, that many islanders will remember the sort of treatment they have had from companies such as TalkTalk when it comes to renewing contracts in the months and years to come.
These are the moments where business reputations are made, or damaged beyond repair. TalkTalk found it convenient to claim that there was nothing they could do to support customers while the Shefa-2 cable was being fixed. They may find that repairing their reputation in the Northern Isles is out of their hands now as well.
Alistair Carmichael is the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland
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