Deteriorating mobile phone coverage in east Galway and the continuing existence of mobile blackspots around the county is affecting business in rural areas and placing a great strain on carers and parents trying to contact children.
This is the view of Fine Gael Galway East TD Paul Connaughton, who has been contacted by constituents on this issue. According to the TD, some report getting no coverage in areas where there was previously no problem; others report repeated dropped calls and fluctuation in service; others enquire about getting out of long standing contracts now coverage has deteriorated so drastically, as they believe the phone company is no longer fulfilling its side of the contract, and providing a service fit for purpose.
Dep Connaughton is now writing to all of the major phone companies asking about their coverage across east Galway. “People need to know if these problems are short term or long term and what companies, if any, can provide excellent coverage in their home area,” he said. He will also ask phone companies what their policy is, if their standard of coverage deteriorates, if that negates contracts that people have entered into, and how customers can go about proving this.
“This very real problem is creating huge difficulty and frustration for many people across Galway East,” he said. “There is the added difficulty of the increased costs and delays associated with multiple dropped calls.”
