- The large majority of telephone poles in the UK are owned and maintained by Openreach, the access-network division regulated by Ofcom; a minority belong to alternative network operators (altnets) or to power distribution companies.
- Openreach publishes a dedicated damage-reporting route and asks the public to report a damaged or dangerous pole even if they are not an Openreach customer.
- A pole carrying live electricity lines is the responsibility of the regional Distribution Network Operator (DNO), not Openreach; the emergency power number 105 connects callers to their DNO.
- If a fallen pole, a road obstruction or dangling cable poses an immediate danger to life, Ofcom and GOV.UK guidance is to call 999 first, then report the asset to the owner.
- Openreach rights to keep poles on land derive from the Electronic Communications Code in the Communications Act 2003, as amended by the Digital Economy Act 2017.
Most UK telephone poles are Openreach assets; report a damaged one to Openreach. If lines are live, hanging over a road, or there is danger to life, call 999 first, then the asset owner.
Last reviewed: June 2026
Who owns the telephone pole outside your home
Ownership matters because it decides who you ring and who is legally obliged to act. In Great Britain the overwhelming majority of wooden poles carrying telephone and broadband lines are part of the Openreach access network. Openreach inherited the bulk of this estate from the former nationalised telecoms infrastructure and continues to maintain it under the regulatory oversight of Ofcom. A pole carrying copper drop wires or fibre to nearby houses is therefore an Openreach pole in most streets.
There are exceptions. Alternative network operators building full-fibre networks sometimes erect their own poles, or share Openreach poles under regulated access terms. Separately, the tall poles and pylons carrying mains electricity belong to the regional Distribution Network Operator. The two estates can look similar to a passer-by, but the consequences of confusing them are serious: a damaged power pole is a life-safety matter handled by the DNO and the emergency services, not by a telecoms provider.
If you cannot tell which type of pole you are looking at, treat any pole carrying thick insulated cables at height, or any pole near a substation, as a potential power asset and keep well clear. Telephone poles typically carry thinner drop wires fanning out to individual homes.
How to report a damaged telephone pole
Openreach operates a public-facing route for reporting damage to its poles, cables and street cabinets, and it explicitly welcomes reports from people who are not its customers. Reports can be made by telephone or through Openreach's online fault and damage reporting pages. When reporting, note the pole's location as precisely as possible: a nearby house number, a what3words reference, or the small numbered plate fixed to many poles all help engineers locate the asset quickly.
Describe what you can see without approaching the pole. Useful detail includes whether the pole is leaning, cracked, snapped at the base, or lying on the ground; whether any cables are hanging low, broken or sparking; and whether the pole or its wires are blocking a footway, driveway or carriageway. Photographs taken from a safe distance can speed up the response, but never climb, touch or move a damaged pole or any cable.
If the damage was caused by a road traffic collision, the police may already be aware, but the asset owner still needs a separate report so that a repair can be scheduled. Where a third party such as a haulier or contractor caused the damage, Openreach may pursue them for the cost of repair, which is a further reason to report rather than assume someone else has.
The reporting process for a damaged telephone pole
The table below sets out the typical decision path from spotting damage to a repair being scheduled. It is a general illustration of the mechanism rather than a guaranteed timetable, because response times depend on the severity of the hazard and local conditions.
| Situation | Who to contact first | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Pole down across a road, danger to life | 999, then the asset owner | Emergency |
| Pole carrying live electricity lines damaged | 105 to reach the DNO; 999 if sparking or fire | Emergency |
| Telephone pole snapped, cables low but no immediate danger | Openreach damage line | Urgent |
| Pole leaning or cracked, lines intact | Openreach online report | Routine |
| Loss of phone or broadband service from the damage | Your own communications provider | Routine |
Note the distinction in the final row. If your service has dropped, your contract is with your communications provider, not with Openreach, so your provider is your first point of contact for service restoration. Your provider will then raise the underlying network fault with Openreach. Reporting the physical damage directly to Openreach is still worthwhile because it flags a public-safety hazard that may affect many properties.
When a damaged pole is a genuine emergency
The dividing line is danger to people. A pole that is leaning slightly or has a cracked plate, with all cables still well above head height, is a maintenance issue. A pole that has fallen across a footway or carriageway, that is dangling cables at car or pedestrian height, or that is near sparking, smoke or fire, is an emergency. In those circumstances GOV.UK and Ofcom guidance is consistent: protect life first by calling 999, warn others to keep clear, and do not attempt to move the pole or cables yourself.
Electricity adds a further dimension. Telephone drop wires are low-voltage signalling cables, but if a telephone pole has fallen against power lines, or if you are unsure whether a leaning pole is a power asset, assume it may be live. The free 105 number connects to the relevant DNO for power emergencies across England, Scotland and Wales. Never touch anyone in contact with a downed line, and keep at least the distance advised by the emergency operator.
What to do if a pole is down in the road
If you come across a pole lying in the carriageway, the priority order is people, then traffic, then the asset. Stop a safe distance away. If it is safe to do so without entering the carriageway, warn approaching drivers and pedestrians. Call 999 so that police can manage traffic and, where electricity is involved, the DNO can isolate supply. Only once the immediate scene is being handled should you report the specific asset to its owner so the physical repair is logged.
For a telephone pole specifically, that owner is almost always Openreach. Give the operator the exact location, the state of the pole and cables, and whether the road is blocked. If you are a motorist who has struck a pole, remain at the scene where it is safe, follow the legal requirements for reporting a collision involving property damage, and ensure the asset owner is notified so a repair can be arranged.
After the report: what happens next
Once a report is logged, the asset owner assesses the hazard and dispatches an engineer or sets up temporary make-safe measures such as cordoning or propping. Emergency hazards are attended first; routine maintenance is scheduled into the repair programme. A full pole replacement can involve traffic management, a planting permit and coordination with the highway authority, which is why a like-for-like replacement is not always instant even after the area has been made safe.
During this period your phone and broadband may be affected if the drop wire to your home was damaged. Keep your communications provider updated, ask them to log a fault, and retain any reference numbers. If you are dependent on a telephone line for a telecare alarm or for emergency calls, tell your provider so that vulnerability is recorded and prioritised in line with Ofcom's expectations on protecting at-risk customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns telephone poles?
In the UK the large majority of telephone poles are owned and maintained by Openreach, the access-network operator regulated by Ofcom. A minority belong to alternative full-fibre network operators or are shared between operators. Poles carrying mains electricity are a separate estate owned by the regional Distribution Network Operator.
How do I report a damaged telephone pole?
Report it directly to Openreach using its public damage-reporting telephone line or online reporting pages, even if you are not an Openreach customer. Give the precise location, any pole identification number, and a description of the damage. If your own service has stopped, also contact your communications provider so they can raise the fault.
What should I do if a telephone pole falls?
If the fallen pole or its cables pose any danger to people, blocks a road, or is near power lines, call 999 first and keep everyone well clear. Do not touch or move the pole or cables. Once the scene is being managed, report the asset to its owner, which for a telephone pole is normally Openreach.
Is a damaged pole an emergency?
It is an emergency if there is danger to life, such as a pole down across a carriageway, cables hanging at head height, sparking, smoke, or any involvement of electricity lines. In those cases call 999, and use 105 for power-related emergencies. A merely leaning or cracked pole with cables safely overhead is a routine maintenance report.
How long does Openreach take to replace a damaged pole?
Openreach prioritises by hazard: dangerous situations are made safe quickly, while a full like-for-like replacement is scheduled into the repair programme. A complete replacement can take longer because it may need traffic management, a planting permit and coordination with the highway authority. Openreach does not publish a single fixed timescale for every case.
