The local BBC news website is presently running a story about poor mobile coverage in Potterne, a village South of Devizes. According to the report, villagers ‘claim the mobile signal has been appalling since September’.
Some residents in the Upper Kennet Valley to the west of Marlborough are bemused by this. If their mobile coverage was ‘appalling’ they might well be quite happy. And since September, the reaction would be – ‘Potterne residents must be very fortunate’.
Mobile coverage, on any network in parts of the Upper Kennet Valley to the west of Manton is negligible. In spite of what the mobile providers ‘coverage finder’ websites may claim. One resident in Lockeridge (who wishes not to be named) pointed out that they were even a (Racal) Vodafone customer in London – when ‘cell phones’ were first introduced and the coverage then, nearly forty years ago was vastly superior to that enjoyed by residents of parts of the Upper Kennet Valley today. There isn’t any signal, in many areas, on any network. This resident also noted that wherever they go in the world, there is rarely a problem. And regarding Vodafone, Marlborough is barely twenty miles away from their World HQ.
This lack of mobile coverage has other implications as well. ‘Smart Meters’ rely mainly on the mobile network. No mobile signal – no effective Smart Meter use.
Also, by 2025 telephone landlines will be phased out. At present, in the Upper Kennet Valley area, as for much of the Marlborough and surrounding area there are regular power cuts. These happen frequently, some times a very quick dip / loss of power that is rectified within seconds or minutes, but sometimes for far longer. And the electricity network operator needs to contact those vulnerable (mainly elderly) residents to keep them informed and make sure that they are OK. They make contact via the landlines that most people still have. If no mobile network, then maybe in the house mobile over the WiFi – ‘WiFi Calling’. But no power, no broadband, no WiFi – then no contact with those who might be in greatest need.
So ideally, there should be a mobile network service created for the Upper Kennet Valley area – within the next two years, and one that works inside the house as well as outside. No acceptable mobile service since September? For those in Potterne, try living in the Upper Kennet Valley.