SORT OUT OUR MOBILE MISERY

Furious Aberfoyle villagers this week called for urgent action after losing their mobile phone signal for six weeks.

Businesswoman Clare Mulcahey said she has to travel four miles to Port of Menteith to use her mobile.

Others are so fed up they have been trying to cancel their contracts with provider O2.

Ms Mulcahey, who runs public relations and marketing company Wendy House from her home in Aberfoyle, told the Observer there had been an ongoing issue in Aberfoyle with the O2 mobile mast there.

“We have had no mobile service in

Aberfoyle for almost six weeks and this is in addition to three weeks we were without service over Christmas and New Year,” she said.

“O2 say it’s a problem with the landowner, who will not allow them to remove trees that are obscuring the mast.

“A lot of people have been complaining but they do not appear to be doing much about it.

“And there has also been a lot of mixed messages from O2. Some people are getting compensation, others are not and some people have been allowed out of their contracts while others have not.”

Ms Mulchay, 54, who has been running her business for 17 years, said O2 had demanded £300 from her to break her contract with them.

She added: “They refuse to give me a refund as they say that they cannot guarantee a fault-free service. It seems as a rural area with a low population we are of little consequence.”

Diane Carmody posted on Facebook that she had been having mobile problems since December 22.

“We had a call from O2, saying that not enough people are complaining to escalate the mast issues to priority,” she said.

“I have deep concerns about some hillwalker or hiker having an accident and it becomes deadly serious .”

Michelle Whellans also posted: “I have been on O2’s case since December. There are loads of us who have complained but O2 seem to be giving numerous different stories.

“The signal came back on in January for 12 days but after no service for 25-plus days.”

Lynn Paterson said: “We’ve three phones, all O2 and tied into a business package with other staff phones so can’t cancel.

“Signal here was good up to December 22. I complained and it eventually improved then it went down again recently.”

As spokesman for O2 said: “Some customers in the Aberfoyle area have been experiencing intermittent service due to their local mast being obstructed by trees. We are working hard with the landowner and our third party suppliers to bring service to customers via alternative methods as quickly as possible. We apologise to those customers affected by the issue.”