Fusion Fibre, a company that has built fibre broadband networks across Northumberland, has been issued with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The firm, previously known as FACTCO, serves customers in Cambois, Amble, Stocksfield, and Rothbury.
Background and impact
The petition follows widespread outages across the company's network earlier this week. Fusion Fibre has been working alongside the government's Building Digital UK (BDUK) unit to bring fast broadband to hard-to-reach rural areas.
A winding-up petition is a legal action taken by a creditor to force a company into liquidation. It is considered a last resort, used only when other attempts to recover debt have failed.
Local concerns
Rothbury councillor Steven Bridgett expressed long-standing concerns about Fusion Fibre, calling for clarity for affected residents. He said: "For more than two years, I have been warning residents in the Rothbury area not to sign up to Fusion Fibre's broadband service because of a number of serious concerns. These included the absence of 24/7 customer support, and the fact that there were no engineers based in the North East."
Bridgett noted that the lack of local engineers has been particularly problematic during major outages, making it harder to restore services. He also raised concerns directly with BDUK, but said his warnings were ignored.
Call for action
Bridgett highlighted that the Rothbury contract remains incomplete, yet BDUK has continued to release public voucher funding to Fusion Fibre. He urged BDUK and Northumberland County Council to act quickly to ensure households are not left without broadband, as residents in Cambois and Amble have reportedly experienced since Sunday.
He added: "Public money should not continue to be paid to a company that is subject to a winding-up petition from HM Revenue & Customs. Instead, BDUK should urgently identify and support an alternative provider capable of taking over Fusion Fibre's network in Northumberland, particularly in Rothbury."
Response from authorities
The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted Fusion Fibre for comment but received no response. A spokesman for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), of which BDUK is a part, said: "We are aware of the situation involving Fusion Fibre and understand residents in Northumberland will have concerns about their broadband service. We would encourage anyone concerned about their service to contact their provider directly for advice."
