Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and Gordon MP Richard Thomson have written to the UK Authorities, Openreach and cellular networks calling for assurances in regards to the resilience of phone networks following current storms which battered the north-east.
It comes forward of plans by the UK Authorities to close down the landline community by 2025, and a resultant reliance on fibre-optics and cellular networks.
Hundreds of properties throughout the north-east had been left with out energy throughout storms Arwen and Corrie resulting in widespread and extended energy cuts throughout Aberdeenshire in current months.
And through these cuts, quite a lot of areas had been with out cell phone protection as numerous networks had been affected.
Now Ms Martin and Mr Thomson have known as for reassurances from the UK Authorities, Openreach and cellular telecom networks to make sure fibre-optic and cellular networks are sturdy sufficient to proceed functioning throughout hostile climate occasions.
Cell phone networks that cowl Aberdeenshire – Vodafone, O2, EE and three – have additionally been contacted to ask what steps they’re taking to make sure their networks are suitably sturdy to proceed to perform throughout energy cuts.
Openreach, which manages the UK’s telephone and web community, has additionally been requested to offer additional clarification on how individuals who contemplate themselves susceptible whose properties have telecoms offered by way of fibre optic cables will probably be supplied with satisfactory backup to make sure telecommunications work throughout an influence outage.
Lastly, Ms Martin and Mr Thomson have written to the UK Authorities – which stays liable for telecommunications – to ask what steps it’s taking to make sure that cellular and fibre optic networks are suitably resilient to stay purposeful in energy cuts after the landline community is shut off.
MS Martin mentioned: “The current storms have brought on enormous devastation throughout the north-east and one of many greatest challenges confronted by many individuals was having the ability to entry data as networks had been down, and a few roads had been impassable for important intervals of time.
“It meant many individuals weren’t capable of finding details about the place to seek out scorching meals and showers or preserve in touch with kinfolk.
“Antagonistic climate occasions are going to proceed and if we’re to allow individuals to remain up to date on bulletins we’ve got to ensure our telecoms system is match for function.”
Mr Thomson mentioned: “A lot of my constituents have felt anxious in regards to the reliability of the telecoms community and the way it will handle sooner or later given current experiences on account of Storms Arwen and Corrie.
“Particularly, these individuals with telecoms offered by way of fibre-optic cables should be supplied with satisfactory backup to make sure they’ve a telephone service throughout an influence outage.
“It’s of specific significance that the UK Authorities and repair suppliers be certain susceptible individuals have entry to communications.”