Community / 4G mast in Foula not being actively pursued despite planning application
PLANS for a mast that would bring 4G mobile data to Foula have been submitted to Shetland Islands Council – but a network operator still needs to take the project on before it can ever come to fruition.
It is part of the Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust’s 4G infill programme, which aims to deliver high speed mobile data to ‘not spots’ areas with no coverage.
In February it was revealed that proposals for 4G masts in outlying islands Foula and Skerries had been taken out of the programme due to a lack of interest from mobile operators, with only a site in Reawick remaining for Shetland.
Despite a planning application for equipment and a 20m mast at the existing BT site at Leraback in Foula being submitted, the site is still not being “actively pursued” at the moment due to the continued lack of interest from operators.
There is said to be some areas of Foula where you can get slight 4G signal at the moment, but there is nothing reliable.
A Scottish Futures Trust spokesperson said: “As part of the development of the Foula site, planning was submitted to Shetland [Islands] Council at the beginning of 2020 and the Scotland 4G Infill supplier, WHP, has been working with the council to provide the relevant information and is now validated to enable the planning process to begin.
“The planning will run its course and should there be a willing mobile operator, the programme could look into deploying this site.”
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