JT has been landed with a £380,000 fine after Islanders were unable to call Jersey’s emergency services for almost an hour with “potentially life-threatening” consequences.
The Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority fined the telecoms company for breaching its licence conditions, following the incident last year.
On 1.45am on 20 September 2022, Jersey’s public emergency call service could not be reached for 57 minutes from any landline or public pay phone in the Island, as well as the majority of mobiles.
The JCRA described the incident as having “potentially life-threatening or personal security related consequences”.
An investigation concluded that “JT failed to take all reasonable steps, within its control, to ensure the integrity of its network”.
This licence condition breach was considered “most serious due to the length of time over which JT could and should have acted to uphold the reliability and resilience of its network”.
The ability to dial a number to call the emergency services was “key for the safety and security of Jersey’s citizens and visitors”, the JCRA wrote in its report.
“Given this, the performance and security of Jersey’s public emergency call service is critical. Therefore, any service incident with an impact on Jersey’s public emergency call service is treated with the utmost seriousness,” they added.
The JCRA has issued financial penalties and directions to JT for eight previous incidents since January 2020, all relating to the public emergency call service.
The JCRA said that “the amounts of these penalties have decreased overtime to reflect commitments given by JT to improve its infrastructure, process, and procedures, to ensure its network is resilient”.
It added: “However, this service incident demonstrates JT has not taken all reasonable steps within its control to ensure the resilience of its network despite the imposition of previous fines.”
JCRA chief executive Tim Ringsdore said: “JT has cooperated with the authority throughout its investigation and continues to work constructively with the authority in relation to its ongoing programme of works.”
A spokesperson from JT added: “JT is part way through several programmes of work which will transform and modernise Jersey’s networks providing best of class resilience and capability.”
The £380,000 fine must be paid by JT within 28 days.
