Coverage in Hornchurch

[Leanne_T]

Update: 19 June 2024

Over the past few weeks, our engineers have completed building the equipment needed for the temporary mast. The mast is now on-air, and service has been restored to the Hornchurch area.  

We will continue to monitor performance in the area.

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Update: 07 June 2024

Over the past few months, our engineers have completed the surveys for the permanent mast and have started legal negotiations to legally acquire the land from the site provider. Pending a positive outcome from the legal steps, we can start building the equipment needed for the new mast and confirm an approximate on-air date.

For the temporary mast, our engineers have completed the surveys at the location and are finalising the designs for the mast. Once the designs have been completed, we will start legal steps to legally acquire the land from the site provider. Pending a positive outcome from the designs and legal steps, we can start building the equipment needed for the new mast and confirm an approximate on-air date.

We will keep you updated on this post.

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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.

[James_B]

Hi @Shirley2024,

Please keep an eye on the original post where we will continue to post updates on the installation of a permanent mast.

If you're having problems with indoor coverage, please make sure WiFi Calling is activated in your phone settings.

Thanks

James

[bobbymj]

@Leanne_T  and everyone who is affected with the 5G signal outage in the Hornchurch RM11 / RM12 postcode area.

I have never resorted to complaining up until now - as i’m at the end of my tether and looking to cancel my contact ties with EE. Purely on the basis of breach of contract.

I live in the affected area. Despite this ”temporary fix” mast being installed, I can confirm that the signal is still poor to weak - the signal is still not like how it was before the mast was removed on the previous site.

I’ve complied with EE customer Exec team level 2 to reset my network settings - nothing changed.

I was also told that my SiM card might have a fault. So I went to my local EE store. They have confirmed nothing is wrong with my Sim card.

Its turning into a game of silly buggers.

@Leanne_T just a bit of background. i’ve been a customer for almost 25 years when EE used to be T-Mobile / Mercury One2One. 

Like all of us on this thread which is currently over 6 pages long - and still going, Although efforts are being made, This issue still hasn’t been resolved. 

I do strongly encourage anyone on here who has issues with their EE  service, to inform others of this community post who live in the expected area to express their problems with the loss of 5G service since March 24.

@Leanne_T , to this day, can you confirm if EE has sent out letters to the affected customers of this problem we’ve been having since March ?

Also, have EE offered compensation to  ALL customers in the affected area, can you confirm this?

Lots of us solely depend on our phone at all times.

I work in the emergency services. Also within the Hornchurch RM11 area.

Using Facetime is important to myself as I don’t see my family all the time due to shifts etc.

Depending on WIFI completely defeats the object of taking out a line rental.

[Leanne_T]

Hi there @bobbymj 

I am sorry to hear you are experiencing signal issues in the area since the temporary mast has been on-air.

You can report any service issues on our Service Status Checker, and the network team will get this looked into and keep you updated either by email or text, sorry we would not send letters.

If you would like to discuss your options, please call us on 150 and our tech guides will help you further. 

Leanne. 

[RM11residents]

Hi @Leanne_T, I don't believe your previous response directly addressed the concerns the last poster @bobbymj made.

Being mindful of this, would you, @James_B, or any other representative of EE please kindly directly respond to the following:

While a permanent alternative site has been found for the new mast, and EE having had more than a year now to acquire this site, seek planning permission, and complete construction, would EE please confirm that they are on schedule to integrate the new permanent mast into the existing mobile network by the 10th November 2025, when their 18-month emergency provisions, granted by Havering Council for a temporary mast, must expire (4-months from now), and the temporary mast removed?

Kind regards

[Leanne_T]

Hi there @RM11residents 

Thanks for posting. 

Our engineers are working to install the permanent replacement mast in the area as soon as possible.

If required, we will work with the landowner to look into extending the lease agreement for the temporary mast to continue providing coverage, until the permanent mast is on-air. 

Leanne. 

[RM11residents]

Dear @Leanne_T 

Thank you for your response. However, I must express my strong disagreement with EE’s intention to pursue a further extension regarding the removal of the temporary mast.

Firstly, the mast is currently installed under an 18-month emergency provision order, granted to EE by Havering Council. Any seperate lease agreement with landowners is irrelevant prior to meeting your legal obligations.

Secondly, recent legislative changes, such as the 2022 amendments to the Town and Country Planning Order, explicitly aim to streamline processes and reduce delays in deploying electronic communications infrastructure, including masts. Furthermore, recent court rulings, including the decision highlighted in a Bristol Live article from December 2024 (https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/emergency-phone-mast-must-finally-9768253), clearly demonstrate that extending deadlines in such cases is increasingly unjustifiable and not supported by legal precedent. Here, the inspector's decision explicitly acknowledged that nearly seven months had already elapsed, and further extensions were deemed unreasonable given the circumstances.

Courts and planning authorities are now more aware of the importance of adhering to statutory deadlines, especially when residents have endured prolonged and unnecessary disruptions. Given this context, I request that EE clarify on what legal or practical grounds it believes an extension is justified at this stage. Why does EE feel it has a valid reason to request more time when recent rulings have emphasized the importance of timely compliance?

I urge EE to respect the court’s decision and the community’s right to a prompt resolution, rather than continuing to seek extensions that are not supported by recent legal judgments.

So I ask again, while a permanent alternative site has been found for the new mast, and EE having had more than a year now to acquire this site, seek planning permission, and complete construction, would EE please confirm that they are on schedule to integrate the new permanent mast into the existing mobile network by the 10th November 2025, when their 18-month emergency provisions, granted by Havering Council, for a temporary mast must expire (3.5-months from now), and the temporary mast removed?

I look forward to your or @James_B 's confirmation.

Kind regards,
RM11 Residents