Mobile networks feel the strain

Windmills, flag poles and even artificial trees are being used to house mobile phone masts as networks struggle to keep up with the growing number of mobile users.

An estimated two-thirds of the UK population own a mobile phone, and around five million mobiles were sold in the run-up to Christmas alone. The increased demand has forced network operators to find unusual ways to make sure they can guarantee network coverage.

Orange announced this week that it had added 1.56 million new customers during the last three months of 2000, taking its total for the year to five million. Orange said it is using as much "street furniture" as possible to expand its network and also looking at other less unsightly alternatives.

"We are conscious of environmental concerns and we want our masts to blend in as much as possible," said a spokesman for Orange. "We have masts disguised as pine trees, flag poles, telegraph poles and lamp posts, and inside church towers."

"We choose sites that meet our technical needs, our customers' coverage needs and which comply with all planning and environmental regulations."

In an attempt to avoid any potential backlashes against the erection of mobile phone masts, the operators have been taking alternative action to ensure they can meet the growing customer demand for their services.

According to Orange, two-thirds of its sites are on shared or existing structures with many concealed within existing buildings.

Rival operator BT Cellnet, which will also publish record sales figures next week, has admitted that the increasing sales of mobile phones has meant some customers experience congestion. It said it has also looked at placing mobile phone masts in alternative areas.

A spokeswoman for BT Cellnet said: "We always want to improve network coverage, especially in areas where we have limited coverage or high call traffic. We need to install more mobile masts and we are certainly looking at different areas. We do have masts disguised as trees and lamp posts."

But according to the Telecoms Users Association, there is concern that the operators have failed to invest adequately in increasing their network coverage.

Steve Thorpe, membership services manager at the TUA, said: "We were aware of the network inadequacies last year when many customers were unable to activate their new phone, and we hoped that the operators had invested in their networks."

"The number of mobile phones users is increasing all the time and there is concern that the operators will have spent so much on UMTS licences that they are failing to invest in existing networks," Thorpe added.