Saltdean phone mast row leaves Vodafone customers without signal (From The Argus)
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Saltdean phone mast row leaves Vodafone customers without signal
12:30pm Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News By Peter Truman
Mobile phone users have been left without a service for nearly two weeks after a combination lock code was changed, stopping a provider reaching its transmitter.
Vodafone customers have suffered signal issues after a fault with the company’s Saltdean antenna.
Vodafone revealed it has been unable to fix the issue as it has not been able to access the land where it is located.
Despite it owning the transmitter it is located on land neighbouring Mike Carr’s Coombe Farm off Longridge Avenue.
Mr Carr said Vodafone stopped paying rent to access his land 18 months ago, declaring they would find another way to get to the mast.
Vodafone said when engineers got to the site they discovered the security locks had been changed, delaying repairs further.
The problem means Vodafone users have been unable to make or receive calls or texts when in the Saltdean and Peacehaven area since October 18.
Angry customers took to Vodafone’s message board to lodge their frustration at the lack of progress or news.
One commentator said: “I have lost money through customers not being able to reach me, my son was rushed to hospital at the weekend and no one could reach me and to add insult Vodafone have been totally ignoring the content of my emails and just sending back a standard issue reply insisting it’s my phone at fault.”
One poster said: “I for one have a vulnerable person who needs to have potential telephone access at all times. I’m not exaggerating when I say there are times when it could be life or death, which is why I have a back-up.
“Are the customers in this area or those passing though it not important to you?”
A Vodafone spokesman said: “We’ve had problems with this site since October 18 but engineers are on-site today and we are hopeful that the mast will be up and running soon.
“Repairs were delayed as we could not gain access to the site immediately. We do not own the site and must follow certain procedures to access it.
“On this occasion the security locks had been changed, which caused further delay.”
Comments(14)
kopite_rob
says...
3:57pm Tue 30 Oct 12
If they've chosen not to pay rent to the farmer and decided to "gain access another way" one can only assume they will arrive by airship or in fact trespass across the farmers land to get to the mast.
Obviously Vodaphone have got used to avoiding paying billions in tax to the government, now feel they can get away with not paying a local farmer, an occupation that financially has little reward in this country at the best of times let alone after the constant rain we've had since the hosepipe ban in March.
Perhaps he should erect barbed wire round it, till they've paid up!
lorrie1
says...
4:08pm Tue 30 Oct 12
After about an hour on the phone, Vodafone said that they had made a mistake and forgot to take an extra 3p so stopped her service, DISCUSTING !!!
Crystal Ball
says...
4:17pm Tue 30 Oct 12
BlackRocker
says...
4:55pm Tue 30 Oct 12
John Steed
says...
5:08pm Tue 30 Oct 12
Bob_The_Ferret
says...
5:58pm Tue 30 Oct 12
qm
says...
8:28pm Tue 30 Oct 12
supermom
says...
9:16pm Tue 30 Oct 12
John Steed wrote:Bit hard fitting a landline in a taxi ...
i have no time for whingers who "rely on a mobile phones" grow up they are handy when they work, when they got a signal and when they have credit, as for it being the sole contact for running a business, well that sounds like a "do as you likey" here today gone tomorrow; if you rely on a phone get a BT land line, then you get paid when it doesnt work. as to vodafone now the truth is out about how these big corporations operate I hope the government brings out a simple tax based on turn over then they can do what they like with the rest of their profits, sorry paper losses.
Cash Bull
says...
11:27pm Tue 30 Oct 12
Crystal Ball wrote:Gong through the roof! ARE YOU SURE! Who ya gonna call? NOBODY
I foresee sales of yoghurt pots and string gong through the roof...
Nosfaratu
says...
8:45am Wed 31 Oct 12
I am appalled by Vodaphones treatment of the landowner and am fully in support of his actions.
I was at no time informed that this was the problem and I shall be claiming last weeks line fee as well.
Thinking seriously about changing my provider.
Mr Banny
says...
1:49pm Wed 31 Oct 12
supermom
says...
2:00pm Wed 31 Oct 12
Cash Bull
says...
8:19am Thu 1 Nov 12
Mr Banny wrote:err.. NO! As, like hundreds of thousands of us have stopped paying BT the rip off 'line rental', but then, I am with T Mobile so my service is not only excellent but also incredibly fast on the internet.
Oh FFS stop your winging, don't people have landlines any more???
Sussex jim says...
3:51pm Tue 30 Oct 12