Damage to broadband cabinets, telephone poles and overhead wires across Cumbria can now be reported to Openreach using precise locations from what3words.
What3words grids the whole Earth into three metre squares, with each square given unique words to make it easier to pinpoint an exact location.
For example, Carlisle Castle is recorded as ‘from.copies.ending’, Scafell Pike is ‘weeds.skirting.fields’, Ullswater is ‘curl.spelling.shrubbery’, Honister Pass is ‘faded.remission.film’ and Sellafield is ‘presented.reliving.gender’.
Reporting the exact location of damage to Openreach’s nationwide phone and broadband network can sometimes prove difficult, particularly if the damage is in a rural or remote location or situated between villages or local landmarks, the firm said and what3words will help pinpoint locations.
Paul McGinlay, Openreach’s director of operations in the north, said: “This should make a huge difference to how safety issues and damage to our network are reported to us and how easy they are to find quickly.
“Many of our poles and overhead wires are in areas with no easily identifiable features nearby, so it can be tricky for people to report exactly which pole has been knocked over or which overhead wire is damaged.
“We’ve seen what3words used successfully by emergency services, where the ability for people to report the precise location of an incident has literally saved lives.
And while a damaged pole or cabinet might not seem like a case of life or death, safety of the public and our people is hugely important to us, and our network is a key part of North West infrastructure, keeping homes, businesses and health/emergency services connected.”
To use what3words, you simply need to visit the app or website and make a note of the three words that pinpoint your chosen location.
When you speak to Openreach, tell it the three words.
