Coverage in Hornchurch

[Leanne_T]

Update: 18 April 2024

Our engineers began looking for a new location as soon as we were made aware our equipment had to be removed. We have located two potential areas for a new mast, one permanent mast and a temporary mast to restore coverage as quickly as possible. We are currently conducting surveys at both locations to make sure the sites will be suitable for the equipment.

For the permanent mast, pending a positive outcome from the surveys and the area will be suitable for the equipment, we can start legal steps to legally acquire the land from the site provider and start building the equipment needed for the new mast.

For the temporary mast, pending a positive outcome from the surveys and the area will be suitable, our engineers will start building the equipment needed for the mast and confirm an approximate on-air date this summer.

We will keep you updated on this post.

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We are aware of a signal issue that is affecting some of our customers in the Hornchurch area. Our mast in the area had to be removed from the existing site in March 2024, as this was requested by the landowner.

Our engineers began looking for a new location as soon as we were made aware our equipment had to be removed. We have located two potential areas for a new mast and are currently conducting surveys to make sure the locations will be suitable for the equipment. Pending a positive outcome and a new area that will be suitable, we can start legal steps to legally acquire the land from the site provider and start building the equipment needed for the new mast.

We will keep you updated on this post.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused. In the meantime, you may be able to use WiFi Calling to make and receive calls and texts over a WiFi connection. 

For information on who can use WiFi Calling and how to set up this service, please see our Using WiFi Calling, Help page.

[Jw031]

Will temporary masts be set up in the meantime? In my opinion, this should have been the first course of action when you guys initially realised that the mast in the area had to be removed so that there would be no downtime before a new permanent one is set up. 

I also saw that the process of setting up a new mast can take up to 3 years from the Brentwood thread where the mast there also faced the same issue. What is a realistic ETA for the service to be restored in this area?  What additional support will be available for customers in this area going forward? I have also been asked by EE to request compensation every month which is extremely inconvenient. I think it would be better if customers affected would automatically be credited on every month's bill.

[Joeko91]

Has this been resolved now? I have really had it today.

[Hughzy]

This has been going on far longer than March. Everytime i have called EE all they want to do is text you which is near impossible when you do not have signal. When you finally talk to someone they say there is no issue or that an issue is kniwn but they have no other information. 

All EE suggest is to use WIFI calling, but that is not what i pay for. Customer service is beyond terrible. 

[Anugshar23]

I have been struggling even to make calls while stepping out of the house. All this while my bill is set to go up this month. If not corrected within days. I am going to change the provider.

[Fathersnowman]

If you change your provider,check to see how long your contract as left to
run,they can ask you to pay for early cancellation charges.

[jegm]

This has now been going on for weeks. My wi-fi calling from home is absolutely useless, calls are dropping out embarrassingly! I am losing money whilst shopping in the High Street as my money off vouchers in both Sainsbury’s and Lidl are not being downloaded, without of course the additional cost of the money being paid for two mobile phones that are not getting the services that are being 

[bristolian]

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@jegm wrote:

My wi-fi calling from home is absolutely useless, calls are dropping out embarrassingly!

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WiFi-calling is fundamentally a reliable service, so you may have other issues. Start a separate post explaining the symptoms.

[James2501]

EE would have had to have received Notice from the Landlord that the contract / Licence for the mast had to be removed, so when did this happen ?

planning permission takes about 3 months without the design and installation process so what date is targeted for the new installation ? 

Which mast was it and what was the location ?

thanks 

[bristolian]

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@James2501 wrote:

planning permission takes about 3 months

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The only planning consents that come with any target dates are GPDO & CN. Full applications, which many new sites are, have no target times and take as long as the planning authority takes.

Planning consent can't be submitted until a design is approved but can run alongside legal consents.

[Hughzy]

If it helps anyone I spent three hours on the phone to EE being bounced from department to department with no one giving a workable solution.

After being stubborn I got put through to the exec team who finally agreed that as a workable fix is minimum more than six months away I can get my contract cancelled and move to another provider. I have moved to Vodafone and the signal is 5 bars so I have a working phone again. 

Moral of the story is demand to speak to the exec team and demand something to be done.