A local TD has called on the Minister of State for Communications to intervene after a number of households have been left with no mobile phone coverage, following the decommissioning and removal of the Three mast from the Old Garda Barracks in Ballycastle.
Deputy Rose Conway Walsh says at least 14 households in the Ballycastle/Kilfian area have been experiencing no coverage since the removal of the mast.
She says when she contacted the Minister's office she was advised that if the matter was not resolved by the provider, it could be escalated to ComReg.
However they say they are unable to help as the mobile network provider fulfilled their obligations by letting impacted customers leave their contracts without penalty.
She has called on the Minister to take action as some people in the area are now in a situation where they cannot get coverage from any network in their homes.
She has been speaking to Midwest Radio's Alannah Nolan....
Midwest News contacted Three for a statement on the matter.
They say....
The original mast site had to be decommissioned due to the termination of a landlord lease at the old Garda station, that was outside of Three’s control.
Three then began a search for a new alternative site as quickly as possible to continue service in the area.
An alternative site was located and set up but unfortunately as a result of the change of location, service has been affected for a small number of customers, who, as a result, have a right to exit their contract.
Three’s engineers have been working on all possible solutions for this issue, including a site visit from to local houses affected in the last week.
Following these visits, Three has now concluded that all options available to it, and other telecommunications operators, are exhausted and the only way to adequately address the issue of connectivity to affected households is through reinstatement of the original mast site.
Three is writing to the Office for Public Works, as the owner (on behalf of the State), of the original mast site, to advise on its findings and to see if they can support in re-establishing connectivity for the affected residents.
