RAW DEAL OPINION

WHEN looking at Openreach’s performance, the point that seems to be overlooked too often is how important a phone line can be to ordinary people. It is no exaggeration to say it can be a matter of life and death.

It shouldn’t matter if you live in a remote area. Everyone pays, so everyone should get the same service.

At the very least, we all should be given an accurate indication of when a problem will be addressed.

What is just another missed appointment to an Openreach technician can be, for the customer, a vitally important time.

If you live in a remote area and your phone line fails, with no mobile coverage, you are completely on your own.

In the modern, digital world that shouldn’t happen.

The Government’s culture, media and sport committee is entirely correct to demand action.

But BT’s aim to “halve” the number of missed appointments isn’t nearly ambitious enough.

The number of missed appointments seems to be incredibly high.

BT should aim to keep 100% of the appointments it makes.