This morning while scrolling though my twitter timeline up popped an article just released on Shropshire Star’s website (our local newspaper) that caught my attention as it related to installation of a 5G mast starting before planning has been given.
Check your facts
The article (now taken down) pictured above shows a picture of local resident Debbie Postons standing at a site of a proposed Three 5G mast holding the planning application.
Debbie has objected to the mast via Shropshire councils planning portal due to the proximity of the mast to her house.
The planning application is not due to close till mid July at which stage the application will either be granted or rejected.
In the article Debbie tells the Shropshire star how on Thursday 15th June she had a call from her neighbour to say they (Three) had started work at the mast site and had put-up multi way traffic lights.
Debbie says when she got home they were still their with a ‘crane going up a nearby lamppost’.
Debbie says how this caused them a great deal of stress as they believed this was Three starting works to install the mast.
While I was reading the article I though this is odd why would Three start work on a mast site that has not had planning approval?
As part of my work for this and my shropshirefullfibre.co.uk website I check the roadworks portals on a daily basis for any telecoms related works to track the deployment of FTTP and 5G across Shropshire and beyond.
I did not recall seeing any Three related works in this part of Shrewsbury in the past week.
Just in case my memory was hazy I spent all of 5 mins checking the historical roadworks via Shropshire councils Embedded one.network roadworks map.
The one.network map lets anyone track roadworks in their area for the past two months to the next 12 months.
Using this I was able to confirm my suspicion that no Three related roadworks had been conducted in this part of town this past week.
The roadworks in question in the area were in fact conducted by Full Fibre Fibre Heroes and was part of their existing FTTP roll out across the town again nothing to do with Three or the proposed mast.
Now while I can completely understand the local residents like Debbie assuming the roadworks were related to the mast install and getting upset I was very disappointed with Shropshire Star for not doing their due diligence.
It did literally take me all of 5 mins to use publicly available data to confrim that the roadworks were nothing to do with Three.
Shropshire Star even spoke to Shropshire Council and if they had asked them they would have provided the same info or signposted to their website showing who was doing the roadworks in this area.
It does not state if they reached out to Three for comment either which again Three would have told them the facts and defended themselves.
As this is Shropshire Star reporting this a local trusted news source people will believe what they are reading.
At the time of writing this article the article is No1 most read on the Shropshire Star Website.
This article damages the reputation of Three who recently announced a merger with Vodaphone as well as adding fuel to the fire of an already divisive subject.
The article does not even offer a balanced view about 5G technology there have been quite a few articles lately in the press nationally about negativity towards 5G masts and similar topics like FTTP roll outs that require new poles.
It is important to note the many advantages that come with new technologies like 5G and FTTP and how they can help peoples daily lives.
There are many people in these areas suffering with poor inadequate broadband that are being denied access to better broadband options there needs to be less articles like this especially when they are not factually correct and needs to be a balanced view on the subject.
I have raised a formal complaint with Shropshire Star regarding their article asking them to take it down.
If you want to find out how easy it is to check local roadworks in your area read our blog on the subject here
Of course if you want help with getting access to better broadband reach out to me and I’m happy to help!
Update 19/6/2023
The article on Shropshire Stars website has now been taken down as of around 1pm today 19th June 2023.
We have not had any response from Shropshire Star but it is good they have finally taken down this inaccurate article
