Broadband down after cable theft? What you're owed

Written by (LinkedIn) • Reviewed by Adrian James (LinkedIn)

Last reviewed: 7 November 2026

Quick summary: Cable theft can cut broadband off for days. What happens next, how to report it, and the £10.34 a day you could be owed from a provider in Ofcom's scheme.

Broadband down after cable theft
Illustration: Broadband down after cable theft? What you're owed

Woke up to no broadband and no landline? If cable thieves are to blame, here's what happens next, and what you're owed

What happens if cable theft cuts off your broadband? Openreach engineers repair the damage, which can take from a day to several days. Report the fault to your provider straight away, because that starts the compensation clock. If you're a home customer and your provider is in Ofcom's scheme, you should get £10.34 a day once it isn't fixed after two full working days, even though thieves caused it. Use your phone's mobile data in the meantime.

What it means for youChecked 7 November 2026

If your broadband is down right now: report the fault to your provider, even if you think they already know. That's what starts the compensation clock.

If you're a home customer of one of the ten providers in Ofcom's scheme: you should get £10.34 a day automatically once it's not fixed after two full working days, even when thieves caused it.

If your provider isn't in the scheme: you have no automatic right to compensation, but it's still worth asking for a refund or credit for the days you had no service. Check your contract, and complain if they say no.

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Key facts, verified 7 November 2026

  • More than 100,000 people across the UK temporarily lost landline or broadband service to copper theft between April 2024 and April 2026, with around 153km of cable stolen (Openreach, 21 May 2026).
  • Openreach says it has spent 1.2 million working hours repairing theft damage since April 2024, and its security team has made 90 arrests since April 2025 (Openreach, via DCD, 2026).
  • Thieves lifted manhole covers in Goldthorpe on 16 October 2026, cutting off thousands of customers in nearby Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire (ISPreview, 20 October 2026).
  • More than 2,000 metres of cable was stolen in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, in October alone, with the latest theft on 19 October (ISPreview, 27 October 2026).
  • Ofcom says that, unless an exclusion applies, compensation should be paid "even when the problem is caused by an event beyond your, or your provider's, control", including "third-party acts" (Ofcom, checked 7 November 2026).
  • Providers in the scheme pay £10.34 a day if a loss of service isn't fixed after two full working days, and £32.31 for each missed engineer appointment (Ofcom, checked 7 November 2026).
  • Ten providers are in the scheme, which covers home broadband and landline packages: BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky including NOW Broadband, TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Zen (Ofcom, checked 7 November 2026).
  • Openreach offers a reward of up to £1,000 through Crimestoppers for information that leads to a prosecution (Openreach, checked 7 November 2026).
  • Since 8 April 2026, you can take an unresolved complaint to a dispute resolution scheme after six weeks, down from eight (Ofcom, 8 April 2026).

Who this is for: anyone whose broadband or landline has gone down suddenly, people in areas hit by cable theft more than once, people who work from home, and families of older relatives who rely on a landline. We'll follow Dev, an example built from the calls we take, not a real customer. Dev is a self-employed electrician with a home broadband package, living in a South Yorkshire village, whose broadband and landline went dead overnight, the morning he had quotes to send.

Why has my broadband gone down after cable theft?

Direct answer: Thieves dig up or pull out copper telephone cables to sell for scrap. Cutting one cable can take out phone and broadband for hundreds or thousands of homes at once, because each cable carries many lines. Part fibre broadband still uses copper for the final stretch.

Copper is valuable, and EMR, which describes itself as one of the UK's largest metal recyclers, says "copper is now recognised as a critical material, with demand continuing to grow", according to ISPreview's report of the campaign it joined with Openreach and Crimestoppers in May 2026.

If your broadband and landline both stop at the same time as your neighbours', and there's no power cut, a damaged cable is one likely cause. Our guide to checking if it's just you helps you rule out your own kit first.

Dev's router showed no connection, the landline was silent, and two neighbours posted the same thing on the village Facebook group by 7am. That pattern points to the network, not the house.

What happened in Thurnscoe and South Woodham Ferrers?

Direct answer: In South Yorkshire, thieves lifted manhole covers in Goldthorpe on 16 October 2026 and cut off thousands of customers in nearby Thurnscoe. In South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, more than 2,000 metres of cable was stolen in October, the latest on 19 October.

In Thurnscoe, Openreach said "our engineers worked as quickly as possible to repair the extensive damage", fixing the network the day after the theft. South Yorkshire Police described a "spike" in cable thefts around Doncaster since the summer, and said it had "recovered over £1m worth of copper cables".

In South Woodham Ferrers, Openreach said "more than 2,000 metres of cable has been stolen this month alone", leaving engineers with "complex and time-consuming repairs". It restored full fibre customers first, then worked through the remaining copper lines.

How common is broadband cable theft?

Direct answer: Common enough to affect more than 100,000 people since April 2024, according to Openreach, with about 153km of copper cable stolen. Openreach says it has spent 1.2 million working hours on repairs, and its security team has made 90 arrests since April 2025.

Openreach says attacks on its old copper network have slowed its full fibre rollout, and that the 1.2 million working hours spent on theft repairs since April 2024 could otherwise have gone on upgrading homes and businesses to full fibre. Metal theft as a whole has cost the UK economy an estimated £4.3 billion in the past decade, ISPreview reported.

Andy Shepherd, Openreach's director of resilience and integrity, said "it's really disappointing that communities across the UK are paying the price for this criminal behaviour". The good news is that the copper network is shrinking as full fibre spreads, which leaves thieves less to target.

The law already makes stolen copper harder to sell. In England and Wales, the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 says no one can trade as a scrap metal dealer without a licence, and dealers must not pay cash for scrap metal, only by non-transferable cheque or electronic transfer.

How long does it take to fix cable theft damage?

Direct answer: It varies. Openreach fixed Thurnscoe the day after the theft, but bigger thefts can take several days, because engineers have to replace long lengths of cable and reconnect each line one by one. In South Woodham Ferrers, full fibre lines were restored first.

Repairing a stolen cable isn't a quick swap. Engineers have to make the site safe, pull new cable through the ducts, and then rejoin many individual copper pairs, which is why Openreach called the Essex repairs "complex and time-consuming".

Your provider should give you updates, and you can usually check its service status page or app for your postcode. Our guide to what to do during an outage covers where to look and who to call.

Am I owed compensation if thieves cut my broadband?

Direct answer: Yes, if you're a home customer and your provider is in Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme. Ofcom says payments apply even for events beyond your provider's control, including third-party acts. You should get £10.34 a day once a loss of service isn't fixed after two full working days.

Ofcom says "unless an exclusion applies, you should get compensation even when the problem is caused by an event beyond your, or your provider's, control. This includes extreme weather, strikes and third-party acts." The exclusions are faults caused in your home, breaking your contract, or causing or delaying the fix yourself.

You might hear your provider mention "MBORC", short for matters beyond our reasonable control. That's a term in the contracts between Openreach and providers, and it isn't one of Ofcom's exclusions for customers. If your provider is in the scheme, an MBORC declaration doesn't cancel your automatic compensation, so if it doesn't arrive, complain.

The clock only starts when you report the fault. If payments have run for 30 days, your provider can tell you they'll stop after a further 30 days, but it must then take reasonable steps to give you a suitable alternative service, and if it can't, the payments carry on. Our guide to automatic compensation rates and our compensation calculator help you work out what you're owed.

The scheme covers home broadband and landline packages. Business packages aren't included, so if you work from home on a business contract, check your contract's own service promises.

What if my provider isn't in Ofcom's scheme?

Direct answer: You have no automatic right to daily compensation, but it's still worth asking your provider for a refund or credit for the days you had no service. Check your contract for its own service promises, and complain if it says no.

Ofcom's list of providers in the scheme is BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky including NOW Broadband, TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Zen Internet. TalkTalk has restrictions for customers not on the Openreach network.

Many smaller providers aren't in the scheme, though some offer their own compensation. If yours isn't listed, check its terms or ask. Since 8 April 2026, you can take an unresolved complaint to a dispute resolution scheme after six weeks, or sooner with a deadlock letter. The Communications Ombudsman explains that with a deadlock letter you can raise the dispute straight away.

What should I do while my broadband is down?

Direct answer: Report the fault first, then get back online with your phone's mobile data, a personal hotspot or a 4G or 5G router. Note the date and time the service went down. If someone in your home relies on the landline, tell your provider straight away.

Dev turned on his phone's hotspot, sent his quotes from the van, and reported the fault to his provider at 7.30am. His broadband was back the next evening, and he noted the times in case it ran past two working days.

For longer outages, our guides to 4G and 5G stopgaps and avoiding downtime when you work from home explain the options, and our 4G and 5G deals show what's available.

Is it back to full speed?

Once your broadband returns, run a free speed test with a cable plugged in, so you know the repair has worked properly before you need it.

Run the UK Speed Test →

What if someone in my home relies on the landline?

Direct answer: Tell your provider straight away, and keep a charged mobile phone to hand for calls, including 999. If a care alarm uses the landline, contact the alarm company too. Providers should take extra care of customers who rely on their phone line.

If thieves take the copper cable your line runs on, your home phone won't work until it's repaired, whether it's a traditional landline or a digital phone that plugs into your router. A mobile phone is the backup that matters most. If your mobile signal at home is weak and you normally rely on Wi-Fi calling, that won't work while your broadband is down, so check where in or near the house you can get a signal.

Our guides to care alarms and telecare and phones in a power cut explain what to ask your provider, so you're ready before anything goes wrong.

How can I help stop cable theft?

Direct answer: If you see a theft in progress, call 999 once it's safe to do so. Report suspicious activity around cables, manholes or telephone poles to the police on 101, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Openreach offers a reward of up to £1,000 for information leading to a prosecution.

Openreach says it offers "a cash reward of up to £1,000 for any information that leads to a prosecution".

If you see people lifting manhole covers or working on cables at an odd time, such as late at night, don't approach them. A quick, safe report can save your whole street from days without broadband.

Is full fibre safer from cable theft?

Direct answer: It's less of a target, because fibre is glass and has no scrap value. In South Woodham Ferrers, Openreach restored full fibre customers first. But fibre can still be damaged when thieves strip copper from the same ducts, so it isn't immune.

Full fibre has other advantages too: Openreach says, citing the National Infrastructure Commission, that it has "five times fewer faults than copper connections". Our guide to full fibre vs part fibre explains the difference, and how to tell which you have.

What if cable theft keeps happening in my area?

Direct answer: Ask your provider whether full fibre is available on your line, and check which other networks reach your postcode. If you're out of contract, switching is easy with One Touch Switch. If you're in contract, repeated faults can be grounds to complain.

South Woodham Ferrers was hit in August and again in October, which shows thieves can return to the same area. If that's your area, moving to full fibre, or to a network that doesn't use the old copper, cuts your exposure.

Our guides to the copper stop-sell and complaining and escalating explain your options, and our postcode comparison shows every network at your address.

What should I do now?

Today

If your broadband is down, report the fault to your provider and note the time. Use your phone's hotspot to stay online.

This week

Check whether your provider is in Ofcom's compensation scheme, and look for the payment or a refund on your next bill.

When you're ready

If thefts keep cutting you off, check which full fibre and other networks reach your postcode.

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Prefer to talk it through? Call us on 0330 122 1223

In summary

  • Cable theft cut off more than 100,000 people on Openreach's network between April 2024 and April 2026.
  • Report the fault straight away: it starts the compensation clock, even if your neighbours have reported it.
  • Home customers of providers in Ofcom's scheme should get £10.34 a day after two full working days, even when thieves caused the fault.
  • If your provider isn't in the scheme, ask for a refund or credit for the days without service, and complain if needed.
  • Report suspicious activity on 101 or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Openreach offers up to £1,000 for information that leads to a prosecution.

Alex's closing thought

Losing your broadband and landline overnight is miserable, especially when you work from home or have someone vulnerable in the house. The good news is that you're not powerless: report the fault, get back online with your phone, and claim what you're owed. If your area keeps getting hit, ring us and we'll check whether a full fibre network can get you off the copper for good.

Keep going: outages, compensation and your rights

Know someone cut off by cable theft?

Send them this. It explains what happens next, how to report it, and what they could be owed.

Cite this page

You're welcome to quote or link to this guide. Please credit BroadbandSwitch.uk and link to this page.

In a sentence: If cable theft cuts off your broadband, report the fault straight away: for home customers, providers in Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme should pay £10.34 a day once a loss of service isn't fixed after two full working days, even when thieves caused it.

Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, November 7). Broadband down after cable theft? What you're owed. BroadbandSwitch.uk. https://broadbandswitch.uk/insights/broadband-down-cable-theft-what-to-do/

Frequently asked questions

Do I get compensation if my broadband is down because of theft?

If you're a home customer and your provider is in Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, yes. Ofcom says payments apply even for third-party acts, at £10.34 a day after two full working days.

Which providers pay automatic compensation?

BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky including NOW Broadband, TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Zen Internet. TalkTalk has restrictions off the Openreach network.

Do I need to report the fault if my neighbours already have?

Yes. Your compensation clock starts when you report the fault to your own provider, so report it yourself.

How long does cable theft take to fix?

It varies. Thurnscoe was fixed the day after the theft in October 2026, but larger thefts can take several days, because many individual lines have to be rejoined.

Will I get two payments if my landline and broadband both go down?

No. Ofcom says you get one compensation payment if both services lose service at the same time.

What is MBORC?

Matters beyond our reasonable control, a term in the contracts between Openreach and providers. It isn't one of Ofcom's exclusions for customers in the compensation scheme.

Can I call 999 if my landline is down?

Not from that landline until it's repaired. Keep a charged mobile phone to hand, remember Wi-Fi calling won't work while broadband is down, and tell your provider if anyone relies on the landline.

Is there a reward for reporting cable theft?

Yes. Openreach offers up to £1,000 through Crimestoppers for information that leads to a prosecution.

Who do I call if I see cable thieves?

Call 999 if a crime is in progress, once you're safe. For suspicious activity, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Does full fibre get stolen?

Fibre has no scrap value, so it isn't the target, but it can be damaged when thieves strip copper from the same ducts.

Can I leave my contract because of repeated outages?

Possibly. Complain to your provider first, and if repeated faults aren't resolved, you can take it to a dispute resolution scheme after six weeks.

What if my provider isn't in the compensation scheme?

You have no automatic right to daily payments, but it's worth asking for a refund or credit for the days without service. Check your contract, and complain if they say no.

References

Written by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith, Founder of BroadbandSwitch.uk (LinkedIn). Reviewed by Adrian James, Broadband Editor at BroadbandSwitch.uk (LinkedIn). Published 7 November 2026. Dev is an example built from the calls we take, not a real customer. We don't name anyone arrested or charged over cable thefts. We'll update this page if Ofcom changes the compensation rules or amounts. BroadbandSwitch.uk is an independent comparison site and is not a broadband provider. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Corrections are logged publicly.

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