Vince Cable to look into complaints on EE's poor phone signal in Shropshire

The company has faced a barrage of criticism from Shropshire Star readers across the county who say they cannot properly use their phones.

Now the issue has been brought to the attention of Mr Cable, who was in Welshpool last week to meet representatives of local businesses and speak at a meeting organised by Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats.

He was handed a dossier of evidence on the state of EE's network delivery and their customer care record and said he would look into it.

Councillor Heather Kidd, one of the Shropshire councillors that has led the campaign for EE to improve its services, said: "I'm really glad that Mr Cable has got involved.

"Not only has EE reduced the quality of its coverage in western Shropshire, and I strongly suspect elsewhere as I have had numerous other complaints about their service from Powys, Wrexham and other parts of Shropshire, but they have grossly failed in their duty of care to their customers.

"We now have a mass of evidence of how they have ignored or fobbed off ordinary residents who have tried to complain to them. They have a culture of contempt for their customers."

Fellow campaigner, Councillor Charlotte Barnes, added: "EE, like all other utilities, owe their customers a decent standard of service for the money they pay.

"Literally hundreds of EE users in Shropshire have contacted us or signed our petition to say enough is enough."

EE has apologised to customers who complained about its services.

The company insists that its new mast in the Bishop's Castle area will improve services in south Shropshire.

The mobile network operator also says that it has made improvements for customers in Telford, Shrewsbury and north Shropshire.

• Click here to sign our 'Get Us Connected' petition

• Shropshire Star launches petition over county's mobile phone signal crisis