Manx Telecom is in the process of replacing its existing core broadband network across the island.

The company has published information about the potential outages across social media, its website and even within editions of the Isle of Man Courier.

These releases state: ’Manx Telecom is replacing the existing, core broadband network.

’A phased programme of work to move customers from the current network to the new one runs throughout the autumn.

’Each customer will be moved from the current network to the new one overnight and will experience temporary loss of service for up to four hours between midnight and 8am.’

However, some customers have alleged that their internet connection has been affected beyond these hours, and has even impacted their businesses.

Dr Helmut Kessler, managing director of Manx Precision Optics, said a broadband fibre outage on September 20 in Castletown left his business ’without broadband and telephone for more than one working day, making remote working impossible as we would normally run machines / processes remotely.’

He continued: ’To add insult to injury, Manx Telecom left us as the customer to foot the bill for getting back online, and told us that they would still charge for a service (one day of phone / broadband provision in this case) they did not provide.’

The Manx Independent asked Manx Telecom about this incident, and we were told that there was a loss of service for DSL broadband customers in the Castletown area on Monday, September 20, which has now been resolved.

This loss of service occurred before the first migration to the new broadband network started at 12.01am on Tuesday, September 21.

Another Manx Independent reader stated in the day following the migration the new broadband network in the Derby Road area of Douglas on the same day, her wifi was not reinstated by 8am as stated by Manx Telecom.

Instead, she was forced to use her mobile phone’s 4G as a wifi-hotspot to work from home, at cost to herself.

Manx Telecom told the Manx Independent that ’specific small areas of Douglas at a time’ were being migrated onto the new network, and there was indeed a post migration router issue in the area as our reader stated.

It confirmed service was restored by lunchtime on Wednesday, September 22.

In addition, it stated any affected customers should contact customer services directly as cases are dealt with on an individual basis.

The company apologised for any inconvenience caused to any customers.

Full details of upcoming migrations and FAQs can be found at: www.manxtelecom.com/personal/internet/service-updates/new-broadband-network