Guernsey Airtel have applied to replace this 9m mast at Belgrave Lane, St. Sampson’s, with a 15m mast, and have erected temporary masts in some locations.
AIRTEL has been erecting temporary masts to boost mobile phone signals.
The new-to-Guernsey mobile provider said it had identified key areas that it felt needed coverage improvements and erected temporary masts, with permission from the Environment Department, until permanent solutions can be found.
Masts have been erected at the airport, close to the Happy Landings, at Jerbourg and at Coppercraft, each for 18 months, and one has also been put up next to the TV masts at Pleinmont but is due to be removed at the end of next month. Guernsey Airtel chief operating officer Ian Williams said the masts were not there to help the company achieve its coverage requirement with the OUR.
‘We have already reached our percentage, so there’s no problem there,’ he said.
‘These are just areas where we want to optimise coverage. We don’t have permanent solutions yet so these masts are just temporary. They will only be there until we get the permanent solutions in.’
Mr Williams said the difficulty in finding solutions varied from site to site.
‘Every case varies,’ he said. ‘In some cases we are trying to close the deal with landlords and in others we know there is other building going on in the future and we can join in with that.’
Vice-dean of the Torteval douzaine Lloyd Brehaut said it had been told the mast at Pleinmont would be up for only six weeks.
‘The douzaine enquired to find out what was going on when it went up and were told by none other than the Environment minister that it was a temporary facility for six weeks,’ he said.
‘Hopefully, it will disappear in a few more weeks but we are keeping a close eye on it. We are expecting it to be taken down and, if it isn’t, we will start asking questions again.
‘We hope Airtel will be able to sort themselves out.’
Article posted on 15th April, 2008 - 12.00pm
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