National scheme to fix mobile coverage blackspots wants to hear from Longford communities

National scheme to fix mobile coverage blackspots wants to hear from Longford communities 

  • Get Connected launches nationally following pilot phase which heard from over 30 communities
  • Longford areas suffering from poor connectivity urged to get in touch

Longford communities which are suffering from ongoing mobile phone coverage issues are being urged to take part in a new national initiative to solve blackspots around the country.

Get Connected, a community initiative run by telecoms infrastructure provider Cellnex, has launched nationally following a successful pilot phase in select counties last year.

The Get Connected initiative has already been launched in nine counties as part of a pilot phase, and has received multiple submissions from community groups, covering 37 different coverage blackspot locations.

Cellnex is actively engaged in the initial locations to address the needs of various stakeholders, including seeking support from the mobile operators to ensure service improvements can be achieved.

Now, Longford communities that have mobile connectivity issues can potentially have these addressed by engaging with Get Connected. Through its website www.getconnected.ie , the initiative invites communities to come together to request a review of the mobile coverage in their local area to see if a solution to their mobile connectivity issue can be delivered. The review is completely free of charge and has already proven to be effective in many other areas.

Working closely with local communities and local authorities in Co Laois, Cellnex has recently installed new infrastructure in three locations that has transformed previous blackspots and delivered world-class mobile communications in the areas in question.

“These pilot schemes show that we have the ability now to fix existing mobile communications blackspots in these rural communities,” said Colin Cunningham, Managing Director of Cellnex Ireland.

“We estimate the total number of blackspots in commercially challenging areas that need to be resolved is in excess of 200, which is why it is so important to hear from communities directly. We are aware that communities in Longford in particular are having connectivity issues and we want to hear from them” Mr Cunningham added.

Each rural location is unique and, in many cases, without external support, the market may not be sufficient to support the investment required by both the infrastructure provider and the mobile operators.

“There has been a seismic shift in the mobile communications needs of rural communities recently, as working from home and hybrid working is now the norm,” Mr Cunningham said. “Ireland’s rural communities should not be left in the second tier of mobile connectivity. Cellnex is committed to playing its part and working closely with local authorities, mobile operators, Government departments and other stakeholders to address this issue. To meet the State’s target of delivering 5G to all populated areas, as set out in its ambitious National Digital Strategy, then we believe some level of funding support will be required. Some of the coverage blackspots can and will be addressed on a commercial basis; but many cannot. The initial pilot projects being delivered under Get Connected have proven that rural communities across the country have a pent-up demand for proper mobile connectivity.”

Cellnex has invested more than €500,000 in the Get Connected initiative since it initially piloted the project in 2021, in an effort to highlight the viability of public and private collaboration for improved connectivity.

Laois and Offaly were the first counties where Get Connected was piloted, with the positive responses from communities and Laois County Council serving as the catalyst for the national launch.

Residents and businesses in each of the three locations in Laois now have access to world-class mobile phone and broadband connectivity, all delivered from a modern slim-line pole solution, which looks much like a lamppost. This is a highly cost effective to deploy in a rural setting and is less visually obtrusive for the area. The solution being used is a result of a collaboration between Cellnex and local Irish suppliers based in the midlands.

Cllr Turlough McGovern, Cathaoirleach of Longford CountyCouncil said that the scheme had the potential to transform connectivity in parts of Co Longford.  “Connectivity is absolutely vital to local rural economies and assists in creating a level playing field with urban areas so business and residents can reap the benefits. Get Connected is an initiative which will allow local rural communities in County Longford to thrive and will significantly benefit the quality of life for residents, by removing the need to commute to urban centres to access connectivity. I would encourage Longford residents to join this initiative if they have a need for improved connectivity.”

In the completed projects, Cellnex has fixed the coverage blackspots by using a series of unobtrusive street-based poles and street cabinets. These are designed to be able to carry services from several mobile companies, which reduces the proliferation of masts in communities and reduces the cost of deployment.

Communities can request a review by visiting www.getconnected.ie.

ENDS

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 About Cellnex Ireland

The business launched in 2015, with the acquisition of 300 sites from Irish state forestry company Coillte, and through further acquisitions and investment now has as portfolio of over 1,800 sites. Cellnex specialises in maximising the efficient use of tower infrastructure through hosting the equipment of multiple operators on its sites, thereby reducing costs for users and reducing the proliferation of unnecessary towers. www.cellnex.ie

About Cellnex Telecom

Cellnex Telecom is Europe’s leading operator of wireless telecommunications infrastructures with a portfolio of 130,000 sites including forecast roll-outs up to 2030. Cellnex operates in Spain, Italy, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, and Portugal. Cellnex’s business is structured in four major areas: telecommunications infrastructure services; audiovisual broadcasting networks, mission and business critical networks and solutions for smart urban infrastructure and ser-vices management (Smart cities e the “Internet of Things” (IoT)).

The company is listed on the Spanish stock exchange and is part of the se-lective IBEX 35 and EuroStoxx 100 indices. It is also part of the FTSE4GOOD, CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), MSCI, Sustainalytics and “Standard Ethics” sustainability indexes. For more information, visit www.cellnextelecom.com