A telecoms boss is being urged to visit Lochaber to hear concerns from local businesses and residents.
Councillor Andrew Baxter wants the director of BT Scotland, Brendan Dick, to visit the area to hear firsthand about the problems customers have with their landline and internet services.
Mr Baxter, who represents Fort William and Ardnamurchan, said he knew of firms that had been without a connection for almost 10 days, in areas with no mobile coverage.
He added broadband problems were also leaving a remote community without fuel, and causing difficulties with Post Office services.
Mr Baxter said: “Over the last few months, many Lochaber residents have contacted me about BT service problems – both telephone and normal broadband.
“I’ve written to the director of BT Scotland asking him to come to Ardnamurchan or Morvern to listen to the issues that both businesses and residents continue to face.”
In his letter to Brendan Dick, he said that, since the New Year, Mr Baxter states: “Some of my constituents have experienced no telephone or broadband for days, if not weeks, over the last few months.
“I have businesses who have struggled with no connection for nearly 10 days, in an area where there is no mobile coverage.
“In Lochaline, the intermittent broadband has caused problems with Post Office services and meant people are unable to use the automated petrol pumps owned by the local community company.”
He claimed customers reporting faults had been told by BT call centres that there were no problems, or that staff gave out conflicting information.
“A lack of engineers is often cited for delays in repairs,” said the councillor.
Mr Baxter said local MSPs Dave Thompson and Mary Scanlon had assisted by referring any specific complaints to BT’s executive team for escalation and resolution.
And he pointed out that a perception of a “fragile and frequently faulty telecoms network” was widespread in the communities he represented.
He wrote: “It seems that BT, as well as the Scottish Government and local authorities, are concentrating so much on superfast broadband roll-out, that the basic infrastructure and service provision is neglected.”
A BT spokesman said Mr Dick was travelling on business and would respond to the councillor personally on his return.
