No phone signal for Seil after all that . . . Why?

[NickB]

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If an article on the 'For Argyll' blog yesterday is to be believed Seil has NOT been selected as one of five pllaces in Argyll to receive Vodafone's Open SureSignal service, despite a petition, assurances from Alan Reid that this was being taken seriously, and discussions between the Community Council and Vodafone.

I would like to know if our Community Council have dropped the ball on this one, or if there is some other reason for Seil not being selected. What exactly were the criteria used to select a shortlist which includes Ardfern but not Seil?

And if any of you want to ask Alan Reid why Seil was not selected : reida@parliament.uk

[Gavin Rae]

Hi Nick

This appears to be very disappointing news after all the hard work that has taken place over the past two years

I will certainly be contacting Alan Reid to clarify his involvement in this decision !!


Regards Gavin

[Gavin Rae]

Well I sent off an e mail to Alan Reid MP last Sunday regarding the Vodafone Signal for Seil

Sadly (to date) he has not even had the courtesy to reply .... !!!

Without getting too political within this area of the forum methinks he could have written off the Isle of Seil as being 'a no go area' and is focussing on areas in Argyll and Bute that will win him votes in GE May 15

If so ? - then perhaps NB and DC could use their Facebook/ Forum followers to raise awareness of this issue via another strand

It goes without saying that we probably have a common interest with this issue and recognise the benefits to Seil ( safety tourism etc etc )

Regards Snoman

[NickB]

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A bit of a broken reid then ?

[Sue Fenton]

In the election propaganda recently delivered, Mr Reid explicitly mentions Seil as being included in the new Vodaphone mast deal ...

[NickB]

In the election propaganda recently delivered, Mr Reid explicitly mentions Seil as being included in the new Vodaphone mast deal ...

Damn - I binned mine.

Can you copy and post what it actually says?

[Gavin Rae]

Can you post Sue as I'm not finished with Mr Reid

I reckon if he is saying this in his election 'blurb' then we certainly need some answers

Perhaps the OT might pick this up ?

Gav

[Sue Fenton]

Its in the recycling bin - I'll go mining after the panto (oh yes I will!)

[Sue Fenton]

Alan Reid MP - Reporting Back to You


"Better Mobile Phone Coverage

Alan Reid has been working to extend mobile coverage throughout Argyll & Bute.

He is pleased to report that the Government have secured a binding agreement with the mobile phone companies. These companies have agreed to invest at least £5 billion pounds to extend their coverage and improve signal strength over the next three years. This deal will resultm in reducing the areas where there is currently no mobile coverage by two-thirds.

Alan Reid also met Vodafone to make the case for better mobile coverage in Argyll & Bute. He is pleased to report that Luing, Seil, Easdale, Ormsary, Ardfern, Dunbeg and Connel have been included in Vodafone's Rural Open Sure Signal (ROSS) Programme.

Subject to technical checks, this means that Vodafone will bring 3G mobile coverage to these places."

[John Gordon]

I am on holiday and obviously do not have my files to hand. However I can piece together an outline of the Vodafone Sure Application from my e-mails. I hope it will clear up some of the confusion that seems to have been generated by the ForArgyll posting.

In September the Community Council was contacted by a Community Support Officer of Argyll and Bute Council with the suggestion that Balvicar, Clachan Seil and Ellenabeich might fulfil the criteria for an application for a Vodafone Open Sure Signal network. The CC decided to make an application and I undertook the task of writing the proposal and becoming the “local champion to act as a contact point for Vodafone”.

One of the criteria was “Support from your local community council, MP or MSP”. I met with Mr Reid (MP) at Balvicar Stores when he was doing one of his constituency tours and he agreed to lend his support and asked to be sent a copy of the application once it was completed.

The application was sent to Vodafone on 11 October.

On 11 October I wrote to Mr Reid as follows: “It was useful to have a chat with you on Friday morning in Balvicar store. On behalf of the Community Council I managed to put together and post an application for a Vodafone Rural Open Sure programme. The deadline is 14 October. 
I attach a copy of the application, my covering letter and an information note which I attached to my letter.
We hope you will be able to support our application. I am not sure whether Vodafone will contact you directly or whether a proactive approach on your part might be appropriate.
Our application, if successful, would only be a partial solution to our problem.  In this day and age it is ridiculous that large areas of Highland Scotland have no or inadequate mobile coverage. We hope you will continue the battle for equal treatment for all.”

I did not get a reply but it is clear from his literature and a subsequent letter from Vodaphone (see below) that he had indeed taken an interest.

On 12 October I sent a copy of the application to Mr Russell (MSP) and asked for his support. I got an automated reply that he was on leave. As suggested in the automatic reply I forwarded my mail to his constituency manager. Neither she nor Mr Russell have replied.

Also on 12 October I sent a copy of the application to the development support officer of A&B Council and asked for Council Support. The reply was concise! “Thank you for your email, we would be interested to hear whether you are successful with your application.”

On 6 November I received the following from Vodafone

“Congratulations - based on your application, Seil and Easdale, Argyll has been shortlisted for our Rural Open Sure Signal programme.
We’re looking forward to bringing Vodafone 3G coverage to your community soon. We’d like to thank you for your efforts in acting as Village Champion so far and recognise your local MP’s support too. “
There followed technical details of the checks to be made, notably broadband speed and the mail ended with:
“Please bear in mind that this this still the shortlist stage, and your community isn’t guaranteed a secure spot on our Rural Open Sure Signal programme until all assessments have been carried out.  However, we really hope all will go smoothly and that you will soon have access to reliable 3G mobile coverage.”

I was invited to the presentation in Parliament but declined. There were no travel expenses offered and I have never found previous experience in my working life of such Public Relations events very useful.
Presumably to coincide with this event I received a mail from Vodafone on 22 January. “Dear Rural Open Sure Signal Village Champion,
Please find our first ‘ROSS’ newsletter attached. This includes some further information on the shortlisting process, what happens next and introductions to some of the ROSS team at Vodafone.
I hope you find this helpful. If you’ve any further questions, do let me know.”
The opening paragraph of the newsletter states “ Firstly, congratulations - your community has been chosen for our Rural Open Sure Signal shortlist. Thank you for your efforts in acting as Village Champion so far – we really appreciate the support from your community and your MP. “

Therefore as far as I am concerned and until I hear from Vodafone to the contrary, we are still on the shortlist. I understand that copies of Vodafone's ROSS newsletter was distributed at last weeks Community Council meeting.

[Gavin Rae]

Hi John

Thank you very much for your detailed post

It certainly clears up a few areas of concern

I suppose if I'm honest I suspect that vodafone's 'short list' is in fact a very 'long list'
and sadly the Isle of Seil has been overlooked again

It goes without saying ( as you know ) phone networks and particularly Vodafone have not received any kind of positive publicity in Argyll and Bute for quite a while

At the end of the day I hope there is a positive good news story for us on the island regarding this issue

Regards

Gavin Rae

[Gavin Rae]

Hi

Having read the latest edition of the Seillachan I noted that Vodafone were due to carry out a site visit
on the island on the 20th April with regard to the 'sure signal initiative '

Does anybody know if this took place ?

Gav

Ps Mr A Reid MP Argyll and Bute never had the courtesy to reply to a couple of e mails I sent him regarding this issue - pretty disappointing when I am now being inundated by his 'promotional' material seeking my vote

[John Gordon]

As you may have read in the Seilachan we are on track to have five Vodafone Open Sure sites on Seil. The detailed site surveys were carried out on 20 April and as a result the sites chosen were Tigh an Truish, Easdale Medical Practice, Balvicar Store, North Cuan Ferry Terminal and Seil Island Hall. Planning permission has been granted for the antenna on each of these properties. There should be a Vodafone Signal within about a 500 m range of each site. Vodafone will be sending out the contracts this week but have not yet given a date for installation.

[NickB]

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Well that's a result.

Well done to all those involved.

[Sue Fenton]

Belt & Braces? The Scottish Rural Parliament has started a petition to the UK government on mobile signals and broadband:

https://www.change.org/p/uk-government- ... re-project?

Sue

[NickB]

Belt & Braces? The Scottish Rural Parliament has started a petition to the UK government on mobile signals and broadband:

https://www.change.org/p/uk-government- ... re-project?

Sue

I've signed, but I really don't think this is going to get anywhere.

The internet is suffering from petition overload.