Coronavirus Update

We sincerely hope this update finds you, and yours, well.

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The Government has included the following types of worker as among the key worker list:  Telecommunications Engineers, Field Engineers and Broadcasters and we understand that it remains the case that the Government believe that citizens do need continued access to Broadband and PSB (BBC, ITV, Ch4 & Ch5) TV services, for home working, home schooling and to receive news updates, as well as for entertainment at this difficult time. So, if you have a problem as described below, please use the search facility on this site to find your nearest CAI member to help you.  Please be aware that it is very much the individual choice of members whether to undertake work or not.  Many are closed completely but many will undertake essential or emergency work as below.  Please call the member to see if they can help you, and if not please try the next nearest member. Please remember that CAI members’ work standards are assessed and they must follow our codes of practice in a number of areas.  You can be confident that they will not seek to take advantage of vulnerable customers in the current situation.  They do, however, need to balance the risk to everyone and to be able to justify why they are not staying at home. No one should be forced to go to work if they don’t think it’s safe, or morally the right thing to do:

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• If the aerial/dish is the only means for your household (whether a single house or in an apartment block) to receive BBC, ITV, Channel 4 or Channel 5 (i.e. you do not have alternative means of reception such as cable, satellite or the ability to stream TV content) then it might be considered critical to restore your service.

• A broadband service may also be critical if anyone is working or learning from home, or if it’s your only way to receive PSB services (as above).

• If they are carrying out either of the above tasks, we would class our member as a key worker carrying out essential works.

In all circumstances engineers will follow Public Health guidelines. If anyone is symptomatic of the virus or self-isolating in the household then an engineer will not visit.

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If you and anyone in your household are not symptomatic or self-isolating, then an engineer might attend but will observe strict social distancing (2 metre min) and strict hand hygiene rules and appropriate personal protection equipment (hand washing before and after the visit, and use of disposable gloves, masks, anti bac wipes for remotes etc, as appropriate) . If a problem can be resolved without entering a viewer’s home, it will be and payment must be made by card and/or via the telephone or website whenever possible.

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For any further information please do not hesitate to contact us on 07879 793603.