EE promises Shropshire's mobile phone signals will improve soon

Mobile phone giant EE admitted they had experienced problems following the merger between T-Mobile and Orange but said work is under way to install the latest technology in the area.

John Carwardine, community affairs manager for EE, said a £1.5 billion upgrade of the network was taking place across the UK. He said £150 million was also being invested in broadband "not spot" areas – areas with the worst reception – which could require building new masts.

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He said: "The problems experienced in Shropshire have not been the best but the service is there, we have just had issues with the equipment. We will have the best new technology but it will take some time. We have been testing signals and there have been some mixed results."

He was speaking at a Shropshire Council local joint committee meeting in Edgeton, near Craven Arms. Angry residents asked why masts had been taken down before proper research had been carried out and questioned whether they would be reimbursed for breaches in their mobile phone contracts.

Gareth Hewlett, EE's head of customer networks in Shropshire, said the company was in the process of replacing equipment that was 10-years-old. He said: "There has been increased usage and people are becoming more and more reliant on their mobiles.

"In areas like this we look to build extra antennas but in some cases it's just not possible."

Mr Hewlett said the number of sites available to customers had almost doubled since the merger, and there was a larger network and higher coverage. "But there is an ability to increase coverage further and that is something we need to work on," he said.

"We inherited old equipment and now we're going through it all and replacing it.

"We hope to have the investment and everything in place by next year."

Heather Kidd, Shropshire councillor for Chirbury and Worthen, who chaired the meeting, said: "I have received complaints and emails from a 180 square mile radius. We have had a significant reduction in power."

Nigel Hartin, Shropshire councillor for Clun, said there was a clear commercial decision to remove a mast in the area in the hope it would improve the service, which had not worked.

He said: "If you knew the service would be worse why didn't you tell the customers?"

Mr Carwardine said there should have been a seamless cross over following the merger, but in hindsight the company could have done more.