Cablevision yesterday promised better quality video to customers on one third of the Island after switching on new fibre optic cables.

Customers in Pembroke, Devonshire, and parts of Smith's will benefit from the introduction of 20 fibre nodes, which the company says will also allow more channels, and new services such as music, digital cable and virtually any broadband service, including high speed internet access.

Cablevision says the $7 million programme to fit the new fibre optic cables, which was started last year, will take another 18 months to complete. Work is currently continuing in Paget and Warwick.

Cablevision General Manager Jeremy Elmas said: “Everyone at Cablevision is mobilised around two main goals; to improve customer care and to complete the new cable system.

“We want our customers to enjoy good reception all the time, and we know that hasn't been the case all the time with the old system.”

Mr. Elmas added: “As we bring these new technologies into service, more customers are beginning to experience improvements. We look forward to completing the system so that everyone can enjoy full benefits.”

The new cable system also requires 40 more nodes to be installed and activated, as well as 280 miles of coaxial distribution lines to replace existing lines linking the customers to the fibre optic nodes.

Cablevision chief technician Michael Jones said: “Enhancements in picture quality are often immediate with the introduction of fibre optics.

“In some cases, the full impact might not be evident until the new coaxial distribution lines have been installed to replace the worn or cracked lines connecting customers to the fibre optic nodes.

“So that the greatest number of customers can enjoy the improvements as we go, we started with some of the higher population areas, and are now working outwards from Cablevision's headend, or control centre.”