New mast activation

[bejb]

It is very frustrating. We also live in a remote rural location in Northumberland (NE65 7AN) with no communications. There is NO mobile phone signal from any provider, 0.5Mb broadband if you are lucky, no Freeview TV, no DAB radio, very little FM radio. During Storm Arwen, power was off for 9 days, roads were blocked, phone lines down - in the 21st century, we were entirely cut off

Over a year ago, planning permission was given for a new EE mast at Sharperton - https://publicaccess.northumberland.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=docum... . The whole community is keenly looking forward to getting some sort of communications. It doesn't feel too much to ask to get a 'best guess' about roughly when we might start to hope to get service.

[bristolian]

I totally understand your frustration, I've been there.. unfortunately, network rollout & go-live have many dependencies - not all of which are under EE's direct control.

It's because of this, that target activation dates are the preserve of internal teams who are working directly on that rollout. It's not uncommon that the first indication will be the signal bars on your phone showing improvement.

[bejb]

Many thanks for the rapid and helpful response.

For several years now, I have used a couple of femtocells to provide localised mobile phone coverage. We have become known as somewhere people in need can get signal. Now the femtocells are being ceased, so even that service is being taken from us. We helped build the EE/BT network, but even that was too much to ask.

I still can't help thinking some sort of estimate must be possible. If they took all the masts they have installed in remote rural locations in the last 5 years and gave an estimate of the upper and lower quartile of the time taken from planning permission being granted to go live. I'm not asking much. Just a guess so I can cling to a bit of hope. I'm not going to get cross if they don't hit a date.

[bristolian]

The femtocells you refer to are being closed as part of the 3G switchoff - anywhere that you have a broadband connection capable of supporting the Signal Box should also be capable of using WiFi-calling.

Unfortunately the EAS new site builds of which this is one, are potentially not as straightforward case as a standard new-build.

[bejb]

Another year has past and the mast at Charity Hall Farm, Sharperton NE65 7AG now seems to have been built. There are plenty of rumours around saying it'll go live soon, but I think that is based on the mast being there. I wondered if there is now any way I can find a rough estimate of the target go live date?

[bristolian]

Afraid the previous answers are still valid. Go-live dates are known only internally and to any contractors/suppliere directly involved.

[bejb]

Thanks for the reply.

I've bought an O2 SIM for my router and all my neighbours are rapidly converting to either O2 or Vodafone, both of which are providing much better service than the BT ADSL service.

The rumour is that EE will go live  around Q4 2023. Nice to know, and if we believed it, it would be worth waiting. Without that, all the business will go from EE to O2 and Vodafone before EE go live.