SNP MP SUGGESTS SOLUTION TO MOBILE PHONE BLACK SPOTS

SNP MP SUGGESTS SOLUTION TO MOBILE PHONE BLACK SPOTS

PROVIDERS HAVE A DUTY TO ALLOW ROAMING

SNP MP for the Western Isles, Angus MacNeil, has called for mobile phone networks to be made duty bound to introduce automatic roaming capabilities between networks in the UK.

In his Ten Minute Rule Bill, which he presented to parliament today (Wednesday), Mr MacNeil suggested an end to the single network situation which can currently leave many rural mobile users without signal for weeks on end.

Orange users on Lewis had no signal for 5 weeks between September and November this year while Vodaphone coverage was lost for 2 weeks in September 2008 and 2 weeks in July 2009.

Commenting Mr MacNeil said:

“Mobile phones are as common today as landlines and we should expect the same quality of service.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that rural phone users often find themselves buying multiple SIM cards and phones just to receive the normal coverage.

“The burden should not be on the consumer to rectify this unacceptable service. The buck should stop with the mobile phone companies themselves who have an obligation to provide a reasonable service to their customers.

“To introduce roaming would be a simple solution, already in use in some other countries. Mobile phone companies should be working with their customers to improve services rather than working against them.”