Residents in part of Garforth, which is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds (England), have vented anger at alternative network operator Giggle Fibre (aka – Giggle, Giggle Broadband, Giggle Holdings) and pledged to “boycott the service” after they complained it had started deploying lots of “unsightly” new poles for their full fibre broadband network.
The deployment of wood poles to run overhead fibre is a common practice (over 4 million have already been built). This is because they’re quick and cost-effective to build (several times cheaper than trenching), can be deployed in areas where there may be no space or access agreement to safely put new underground cables, are less disruptive (avoiding the noise, access restrictions and damage to pavements of street works) and can be built under Permitted Development (PD) rights with only minimal prior notice.
However, not everybody is a fan of poles (particularly those living in areas that haven’t had them before), which has caused a sharp rise in complaints and protests from residents in various parts of the UK. The complaints usually highlight their negative visual appearance, as well as concerns about their exposure to damage from major storms, a lack of effective prior consultation, duplication of existing infrastructure and various other things.
In this latest example, the target of such complaints seems to be Giggle Fibre, which started life in early 2023 with a build focused on Glasgow in Scotland (here) and then later in that same year experienced somewhat of a management buyout (here).
Another change occurred last November 2024, when Leeds-based Harmony Networks Limited was listed as having gained significant control over Giggle Fibre Limited (here). This was around the same time as Harmony also acquired the assets of alternative broadband operator Spring Fibre for £1.5m (here), which had built to cover 12,000 premises in several UK locations (e.g. Lincoln, Mablethorpe, Louth, Garforth/Kippax, Great Preston etc.) before running out of money.
Since then, Giggle Fibre’s network deployment appears to have increased, although we’ve yet to receive any announcements about their future coverage plans or retail ISP support (they appear to be building an open access wholesale network). But we do now know that Garforth is one of their latest deployment locations, albeit seemingly only because the BBC News has just reported on how angry local residents are about it.
Residents point out that, until recently, the town’s cables were mostly deployed underground in East Garforth and that Giggle’s new poles are “unsightly“, with “hideous wires” coming off them. Similarly, the Independent City Councillor (Leeds), Mark Dobson, has called on Giggle Fibre to “stop … erecting 100’s of telegraph poles in Garforth – a cheap & nasty way to deliver broadband“. Locals have also complained about a lack of public engagement by the operator.
At the time of writing, Giggle Fibre had not provided a comment to the BBC (we’ve also contacted Giggle for a comment), although a local community action group (here) has posted the response they received from Giggle.
Giggle Fibre’s Response to Community Concerns
We understand the concerns regarding the installation of telegraph poles and their potential impact on the local area. We appreciate the opportunity to provide some context around our approach and the challenges we have encountered in delivering high-speed broadband to the community.
According to recent research and reports from estate agents having gigabit connectivity (or “full fibre” broadband) can significantly increase the value of your home. Fast internet is now considered a key feature for many potential buyers especially with the rise of remote work and streaming entertainment; Studies suggest it can add several thousand pounds to a property’s value.
As a collective of local companies based in Micklefield, employing approximately 80 local residents, we have been working on this project for over a year. Throughout this process, we have carefully considered all available options to minimise disruption while ensuring reliable and future-proof connectivity. Our priority is to utilise existing infrastructure wherever possible to reduce the need for trench excavation, footpath closures, roadworks, and diversions. In some areas, we have successfully collaborated with Openreach to share infrastructure. However, much of the existing underground network in East Garforth, which was installed in the 1970s, consists of direct-buried cables without suitable ducting. This makes it impractical for shared use and significantly limits alternative installation methods.
Additionally, previous installations by a different Statutory Undertaker have presented further challenges. Unfortunately, some of their network was not installed in line with their own specifications, industry standards, or The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. This has led to multiple instances of damage, resulting in legal disputes over repair costs. Given these risks, the only viable solution to complete the network build in this area is the installation of new telegraph poles.
We understand that overhead infrastructure may not be the preferred solution for all residents, and we sincerely appreciate your feedback. Our goal remains to provide high-quality broadband access while working as considerately as possible within the constraints of the existing infrastructure and regulatory framework.
Installing fibre via telegraph poles is a well-established, efficient, minimally disruptive method with a low environmental impact. While we understand that some residents would prefer an underground network, as demonstrated, this approach presents considerable challenges. The risk of damaging existing underground utilities, many of which have not been installed to industry standards, is too high to make this a practical method of deploying the network.
Regarding the planned pole locations, the sites were selected following thorough site visits and careful planning. The process used adheres to the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice. Through this process ewe have managed to reduce the number of planned poles from 487 to 262 poles in the entirety of Garforth, Kippax and Allerton Bywater in Garforth.
The operator did initially pause their deployment of new poles, which came after pressure from Leeds Highways, and the local MP for Leeds East, Richard Burgon, was applied. But work recently resumed and the operator now seems reluctant to engage in another public meeting after they said the previous one “at times … became unstructured, limiting productive discussion” (i.e. it was rather heated).
Burgon added: “What we want is for the community to be treated with respect and consideration. Giggle Fibre, and any broadband company that uses their telegraph poles, should expect a big boycott from local residents.”
At this point it’s worth noting that both Openreach and Virgin Media have already covered most of the area with their own gigabit-capable broadband networks, while Netomnia (Brsk) has also built over a large chunk of the town. Suffice to say that it’s a challenging place for a new altnet like Giggle to be targeting, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping them.
Meanwhile, the government is preparing to publish a revised Code of Practice (preview here) that should, as Sir Chris Bryant (Telecoms Minister) put it, require providers to “pay greater attention to the communities’ concerns” and to build underground wherever possible (operators already do this as it’s the most cost-effective approach, albeit only when available to them).
The revised code, as currently drafted, is not expected to deliver major changes. But it will focus on ensuring that network operators communicate better with communities (identifying areas where this is needed). The Code will introduce clearer rules on where not to site poles, as well as guidance on what to do with pole complaints and where re-siting is appropriate.
On top of that, the Code will include an industry commitment to consider pole impact during the planning and installation stages, as well as a commitment to consider utilising existing poles. But many questions, such as around the difficult issue of enforcement, remain.
The government clearly have a difficult balancing act. On the one hand, they need to ensure that the concerns raised by communities, like those in Garforth, are not simply ignored and have some impact. On the other hand, they must avoid implementing any measures that might risk damaging the wider roll-out and cost models, which could risk their ambitions for making a “renewed push to fulfil the ambition of full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030” (here).