25p payout for phone cut
Homeowners in Cannock who were left without phone lines for three days will be entitled to compensation of just 25p – a total payout by BT of £200.
In all, 800 customers were left incommunicado when cables were cut at an exchange in Cannock town centre on March 18.
Spokeswoman Masuma Nadiem said the company pledged to restore phone lines by the next working day and would not pay out to customers until after that.
Investigations are continuing into how the damage was caused with police and BT focusing their attention on "third party damage".
Problems first emerged on Sunday when homes and businesses in the Pye Green Road area, Bevan Lee estate, Longford and parts of Bridgtown were cut off.
Engineers worked around the clock to fix the problem with all lines working correctly by Wednesday.
Rose Swan, aged 76, from Keats Avenue, was left for three days without a phone line and her mobile phone was also not working leaving her totally without any form of communication.
She also lost the use of an emergency alarm pendant which uses the phone line.
Rose told the Express & Star: "I asked BT about compensation and they said no because I didn't report it but there was no way that I could. I have written to them to complain because I just don't think it's right.
Ms Nadiem said customers like Rose could register to become priority repair customers who would be re-connected as fast as possible.
