MOBILE phone coverage in many parts of West Cork has gotten progressively worse over the past six months, with calls dropping off in some instances, a meeting heard last week.
Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind) raised a motion at the meeting of the local authority calling on the Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan to intervene in what he said is the ever-deteriorating mobile phone coverage in many parts of the county.
Cllr Harrington said he has had ‘umpteen people’ onto him about the issue and that these were places that had good mobile phone coverage in the past, but for some reason it has become very poor, especially over the past six months.
‘Another issue recurring and for no apparent reason, calls are being dropped. You’re in the middle of a conversation and then the call drops.
‘It’s very frustrating and people are paying big money for phone bills and they deserve better,’ said Cllr Harrington.
He pointed out that mobile phones were the only form of communication for many households during the recent storms when power was out, so it is an important and vital service.
Cllr Danny Collins (Ind Ire) seconded the motion and said it’s been happening a lot over the last few months.
‘I was contacted by a woman from a company who has 15 vans on the road and she said their mobile phone service is cat melodeon with calls dropping off or calls going through to voicemail,’ said Collins.
He said he was told by Vodafone that in some cases sim cards need to be replaced but this hasn’t solved the issue.
Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy (FF) said there has to be something that the mobile phone companies can do and suggested that they should share all the masts so the service can be improved for all customers.
‘It should be compulsory that all of them share masts, and if the regulator could intervene to solve this, it might improve things,’ said Cllr Murphy.
Cllr Caroline Cronin (FG) said mobile phone coverage was bad before, but is even worse now, especially in West Cork.
Cllr Michael Hegarty (FG) said they should invite representatives from the major phone companies to come into the chamber and address them at a development meeting.
Council chief executive Moira Murrell agreed that it would be worth inviting them in and they would map the areas where there are difficulties.
County mayor Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) said these companies should also explain why they are putting up masts next to homes in villages like Drinagh and Timoleague.
‘They are entitled to get planning for these masts, but bit by bit new boxes are being added to these masts, some of which are next to houses. People want mobile phone coverage, but don’t necessarily want them installed next to their homes either,’ said the mayor.
