WEST Belfast MP Paul Maskey is travelling to London today to meet with phone companies in a bid to improve mobile signal across West Belfast.
It follows a recent survey conducted by Sinn Féin, which attracted more than 2,600 responses and identified widespread coverage of black spots in the area.
From the 2,602 people who responded, 87 per cent described phone signal as poor or very poor, with only three per cent saying it was good or excellent.
Attacks on mobile phone masts have also been blamed for poor mobile phone signal in West Belfast.
Between January 2023 and December 2024, there were 13 incidents involving masts in the area, according to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. On Saturday past, a 5G mast was deliberately set alight in the Springbank Industrial Estate in Poleglass.
A spokesperson for Virgin Media O2 said five West Belfast sites have been the target of arson attacks in the last 12 months, affecting "the coverage and capacity of the network".
It said its team was "working hard to get these damaged masts working again and has carried out optimisation work to improve the coverage whilst repairs take place". Other network providers are also affected by the mast attacks.
While the masts carry signal for a phone network, the actual physical infrastructure is owned and operated by the firm Cornerstone.
Several masts have been targeted in recent years
They said they were aware some people have health concerns about mobile phone base stations but insisted there is no risk.
"The strong consensus of expert groups and public health agencies, such as the World Health Organisation, is that no health risks have been established from exposure to the low-level radio signals used by these base stations," Cornerstone said.
"Without network coverage, West Belfast will miss out on the kind of opportunities that will make the area a better place to live."
Ahead of his meeting in London on Tuesday, Paul Maskey MP said: “For too long, people in West Belfast have had to deal with poor phone signal and weak connectivity.
“I’ll be in London to raise this issue directly with phone providers and demand action to improve signal in our community.
“We’ll be making the case that investment is needed to upgrade infrastructure in areas that have been left behind. Reliable phone signal is not a luxury — it’s essential for work, safety, emergencies, and staying connected with family and friends.
“Sinn Féin will continue to campaign for better connectivity and deliver the services our community deserves.”
