Phone coverage service in West Cork below standard

Mobile phone service and coverage in West Cork has been described as significantly below the adequate standard, county councillors have told The Echo.

Although responsibility for implementing an improved service such as 5G coverage in West Cork primarily lies with mobile operators, frustration is growing among businesses and households in the region concerning below par mobile phone coverage.

The issue has been raised to Cork County Council, with the Director Of Services for the Environment, Climate Change and Emergency Services Louis Duffy confirming to The Echo that the local authority is engaging with the Department of Communications in relation to the improvement of mobile services.

Mr Duffy also called on councillors to identify exact locations in regard to blackspots for mobile coverage in West Cork.

“If people experience bad coverage in an area, first of all they should report to their network service provider,” Mr Duffy said.

“Secondly, if there is an area which councillors feel is badly served, if they identify the area and give an Eircode to us, nearest to where they see the blackspot, we can try and see if, through our own engagement with the department or the mobile service providers, we can encourage improvement there.

“We don’t have any contractual relationship with service providers. But we would have communication through the network of broadband officers.”

Independent councillor Finbarr Harrington has described the mobile phone service connection in areas of West Cork as being significantly below adequate standard.

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Harrington said the issue needs to be addressed.

“It has actually gone very, very bad in the last six months. Places where you would have had mobile coverage before don’t have coverage now. It is pretty bad now, would be putting it mildly.

“Whatever the problem is, it needs to be fixed. What we are talking about here is places that had coverage all along and had good coverage. Now they have no coverage.”

Meanwhile, Independent Ireland councillor Daniel Sexton said: “There are blackspots there that have never got any better. In this day and age communication is so important. People in rural areas need their phones and people in towns need their phones. We need to get the mobile services as good as we can and work with anyone to make it better.”

He also highlighted issues with data speeds for internet connection.

“There are areas where the internet connection is extremely poor. People are getting frustrated out there and phone connectivity isn’t good enough.

“It came up on the door with me canvassing, as well about poor phone signals in areas. People actually felt it has gone backwards in some areas as well.”