Repeat issues with mast which covers TA6

[bugsy1969]

Hi, there has been a constant issue with the mobile signal at my home address. I have been told for probably a few years on and off that there is an issue with the mast covering my home postcode. What's going on? Why is this problem not being sorted for once and for all. I have to use Wi-Fi calling at home and no data movement without Wi-Fi.

What’s Actually Out There

• An EE community post from two months ago complained about poor signal in Bridgwater and nearby areas—TA6 *** could very well be part of that.

• In another discussion, someone mentioned that EE couldn't act on the mast issue until nesting birds vacate—and that could take months. Nothing says "service restored soon" like Mother Nature putting her foot down.

• A broader EE forum post from November 2023 shared that a mast failure in someone's area had already lasted 4 weeks, with EE unable to disclose when it would be fixed.

So... if TA6 *** is in the same boat, we're looking at a problem that’s been dragging on maybe since early summer, and potentially still going if pesky nesting birds are involved.

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TL;DR Summary

• Reported poor signal in the Bridgwater area going back at least two months.

• Fixes possibly delayed by nesting birds, which could take months before EE can intervene.

• Similar issues elsewhere reported lasting 4 weeks or more, with EE unable to give a repair timeline.

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What You Can (and Should) Do

1. Check the EE Coverage & Service Status Checker directly for TA6 *** —it’s your quickest way to see if they’ve logged any mast issues or maintenance.

2. Raise the roof with EE’s customer support, preferably technical support—not just the basics. Ask them:

   • Has a mast failure been logged at TA6 ***?

   • Are nesting birds the hold-up?

   • What’s the expected fix timeline?

3. Enable alerts for that postcode via the coverage checker if EE supports it—they’ve got tools to notify you when the issue’s resolved.

4. Consider Wi-Fi Calling at home to bypass shaky signal until things get sorted.

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Real Talk: How Long Has It Been?

If we’re honest, this sounds like a persistent issue—possibly two months old or more, especially if a post-4-week timeline and nesting birds are part of the picture. EE hasn’t confirmed it, but that’s likely the ballpark.

[Mod edit - title edited to remove full postcode]

[Chris_B]

@bugsy1969  If the mast is on private land they need permission to access that mast,   This is a waiting game for permission each time there is/might be an issue.      Then it’s a case of an engineer being able to go on the date that permission is given.     

[bristolian]

First off, no network faults are intentionally delayed any longer than necessary. Whilst frustration with protracted outages is understandable, it certainly isn't vindictive - EE have nothing to gain from that.

I'll respond to a couple of points you make, one being nesting birds. If there is a fault on a radio site and this needs antenna access to investigate or rectify, then nesting birds can be an absolute brake on progress - they are legally protected with heavy penalties for anyone who disturbs them. Read up under "birds and their nests are protected by law" on https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/birds/nests , plenty of other sites confirming the same are available via Google.

When site outages extend beyond a short period of time, it's not uncommon for there to be an external issue. Refer back to EE not intentionally delaying fault resolution, but if - by means of example - there is a legal or lease issue that hinders free access to the site, then they are rarely resolved as quickly as anyone would like.

By means of observation, I travelled through Bridgwater in late July, and travelled past the serving site for the north & west of the town. Whilst there's 2 other sites covering parts of Bridgwater, the coverage I experienced was pretty well what I expected and I had no service problems.

[bugsy1969]

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate the clarification around nesting birds and legal site access – it makes sense that those circumstances can cause delays.

That said, the issue in Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea has now been ongoing for well over a year, on and off, and it’s had a real impact on day-to-day use. I rely heavily on mobile coverage for my work, and during this time I’ve often found myself unable to make or receive calls or use mobile data properly in both areas.

Whilst I understand outages aren’t intentional, from a customer perspective the problem has felt long-running and unresolved. Other networks appear to have managed their coverage more reliably, so it does raise the question of why EE customers have been left struggling for so long.

I’d be grateful if EE could confirm exactly what the current issue is with the mast(s) serving Bridgwater (particularly TA6 3TT) and Burnham-on-Sea, and provide a realistic timescale for when full service will be restored – as well as any interim measures you’re putting in place to support customers who rely on your network.

[bugsy1969]

Thanks for explaining. I understand if the mast is on private land that permission is needed, and that can take time. However, this doesn’t change the fact that customers are left without reliable service while this “waiting game” drags on.

When the issue has been ongoing for over a year, it feels like there should be a more proactive solution in place. Whether that’s improved communication with the landowner, alternative coverage solutions, or even temporary measures, something needs to be done.

As a paying customer, I shouldn’t be expected to simply accept that service may or may not return depending on landowner permission. Could EE please explain what is being done in the meantime to ensure customers in Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea are not left at such a disadvantage?

[Peter_W]

Good morning @bugsy1969.

Welcome back to the Community. 

The details @bristolian has shared here around birds nesting is definitely something that can cause delays, but as you've mentioned other factors like site permissions and health and safety issues can have an influence too.

We don't have access to account systems via these forums, but if you give our team a call, they'll be able to help log this on your account, and check for the latest updates.

Peter