BT customer told it will cost staggering £157,000 to boost his ultra-slow broadband

A man from Shropshire has been told it will cost a whopping £157,000 for BT to boost his snail-paced broadband.

Dave Driscoll lives in remote Mardu, which is blighted by ultra-slow internet - with download speeds of just 3Mbps.

“With streaming we can try. Some nights it is okay, other nights it is a non-starter," Dave said.

“Some nights you get halfway through a programme and it breaks down and that's it."

Excited by the offer of high-speed fibre broadband, which would allow him to watch online TV, Dave contacted BT.

The price quoted for of a high-speed connection would cover most people's mortgages (PA)

Under new Ofcom rules every home and business in the UK has the legal right to request a decent, affordable broadband connection.

Dave, 63, made the request under the Universal Service Obligation (USO) after seeing Government grants of £3,400 were available to cover the costs of the work.

But the education consultancy senior partner was flabbergasted to be told the Outreach bill would be £157,000.

He said the work was “a little outside my price range”.

And Dave's not alone in suffering from buffering thanks to slow internet.

“BT actually quoted several people up and down the lane and quoted them several different prices.

“My immediate neighbour was quoted £50,000 despite being further away from the junction than me.”

BT’s is obliged to provide a quote on an improved connection if a person cannot access 10Mbps download speed and an upload speed of 1Mbps.

BT says 47% of the cost is for cabling, 42% for civil engineering work and 11% for creating a network for the 12 properties in the area.

Dave added: “Basically they want me to pay for the cables, then to get them fitted, and then to charge me for using them.

“We had the electricity upgraded, no one charged me for the transformer or the cables for that.”

A BT spokesman said: “We’re sorry for the disappointment the quote has caused Mr Driscoll.
“Although the USO scheme will deliver for the vast majority of those without decent connectivity today, it hasn’t been designed to overcome the challenges of connecting the most difficult places.

“We understand the frustration of those in hard to reach areas like Mr Driscoll.

“We’re committed to working with Government to find solutions to connect those living in the most remote areas.

“Options could include alternative technologies, such as satellite (including exploration of the potential role of OneWeb) as well as clarity on the Government’s £5billion funding for rural full fibre.”