Ofcom Launches Second Probe Into Greater Manchester Telecoms Firm Over Safety Concerns
Greater Manchester – UK communications regulator Ofcom has opened a second formal investigation into Lancashire-based telecoms provider IX Wireless, focusing on potential breaches of safety and installation codes across Greater Manchester.
The new probe, announced this week, will scrutinise the company’s compliance with industry regulations governing the height of its overhead cables and the maintenance of its equipment. This marks the second time in under a year that the firm has faced enforcement action from the regulator.
The investigation centres on IX Wireless’s obligations under the Electronic Communications Code (ECC), a framework designed to facilitate the rollout of digital networks while protecting public safety. As a designated ‘code operator’, the company is subject to specific conditions.
Ofcom stated it is investigating whether IX Wireless, "failed to comply with its obligations", concerning the minimum height of communications lines installed over public roads. Regulations mandate that any such lines must be, "at least 5.5 metres above the surface of a highway". The regulator will also examine whether the company breached its duties to inspect and maintain electronic communications apparatus, so as to ensure that it will not cause injury to any person or damage to property.
This is not the first time IX Wireless’s infrastructure has drawn scrutiny. The company faced enforcement action in Bolton last year over issues relating to a lack of prior consent for the installation of poles and antennae. Residents and local authorities in Oldham and Sale, Trafford, have also reported similar problems.
The latest investigation follows a separate Ofcom probe launched in May into a 15-metre-high metal mast erected by the company in Rochdale.
A spokesperson for Ofcom said: “Ofcom has today opened an investigation into IX Wireless' compliance with its obligations under the Electronic Communications Code”.
IX Wireless, which is rolling out a wireless broadband network in the region, has not yet issued a public statement regarding the new investigation.
The outcome of the probe could lead to enforcement action from the regulator if breaches are found. The developments will be closely watched by local authorities and residents across Greater Manchester, where the rapid installation of new digital infrastructure has increasingly become a point of contention between community concerns and the push for improved connectivity.
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The new probe, announced this week, will scrutinise the company’s compliance with industry regulations governing the height of its overhead cables and the maintenance of its equipment. This marks the second time in under a year that the firm has faced enforcement action from the regulator.
The investigation centres on IX Wireless’s obligations under the Electronic Communications Code (ECC), a framework designed to facilitate the rollout of digital networks while protecting public safety. As a designated ‘code operator’, the company is subject to specific conditions.
Ofcom stated it is investigating whether IX Wireless, "failed to comply with its obligations", concerning the minimum height of communications lines installed over public roads. Regulations mandate that any such lines must be, "at least 5.5 metres above the surface of a highway". The regulator will also examine whether the company breached its duties to inspect and maintain electronic communications apparatus, so as to ensure that it will not cause injury to any person or damage to property.
This is not the first time IX Wireless’s infrastructure has drawn scrutiny. The company faced enforcement action in Bolton last year over issues relating to a lack of prior consent for the installation of poles and antennae. Residents and local authorities in Oldham and Sale, Trafford, have also reported similar problems.
The latest investigation follows a separate Ofcom probe launched in May into a 15-metre-high metal mast erected by the company in Rochdale.
A spokesperson for Ofcom said: “Ofcom has today opened an investigation into IX Wireless' compliance with its obligations under the Electronic Communications Code”.
IX Wireless, which is rolling out a wireless broadband network in the region, has not yet issued a public statement regarding the new investigation.
The outcome of the probe could lead to enforcement action from the regulator if breaches are found. The developments will be closely watched by local authorities and residents across Greater Manchester, where the rapid installation of new digital infrastructure has increasingly become a point of contention between community concerns and the push for improved connectivity.
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