Twenty-metre high mast to improve 4G proposed for South Lochside
A TWENTY-metre tall telecommunications mast could be built in Lerwick’s South Lochside – near the Tesco roundabout – to improve mobile connectivity.
Plans for the huge telecoms mast are being brought forward by WHP Telecoms on behalf of Virgin Media 02.
It comes as plans to upgrade the existing telecommunications mast at the Lerwick Police Station, as announced earlier this year, have been hit with “significant challenges”.
The South Lochside telecoms mast could be installed before the end of 2025, WHP Telecoms told Shetland News.
Lerwick Community Council (LCC) heard about the plans at its meeting on Monday night, and were told that Virgin Media 02 are searching for suitable sites across Lerwick to build a radio base station.
Upgrades to the communication station at the police station were proposed in May of this year, in a project for Virgin Media 02, to improve 4G signal for its customers in Lerwick.
Mobile infrastructure company Cornerstone is behind those plans, and they confirmed to Shetland News this week that it still hopes to upgrade the mast.
WHP Telecoms – which has submitted the plans for the South Lochside mast – also said that the police station mast is in line for an upgrade.
However, it said the project had presented “significant challenges” and that there was a deadline for completion by the end of this year – leaving a “degree of uncertainty”.
“Upgrading the existing installation remains our preferred approach, as this represents best practice and is the sequentially preferable option for all stakeholders,” WHP’s head of town planning Sarah McCorry said.
“As a contingency measure, we are also progressing an alternative site in parallel due to the strict upgrade timeframes.
“The proposed streetworks monopole would have a height of 20 metres, and if this option proceeds, the anticipated installation date would be toward the end of 2025.”
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McCorry said the proposed locations would “offer greater coverage to support 3G shutdown for local residents in the area”.
Monday’s LCC meeting heard that it was hoped the two mast sites would “address existing coverage gaps” in Lerwick, where mobile connectivity – and 4G in particular – is known to be spotty.
WHP said the installation of a radio base station at South Lochside was “necessary to address a significant coverage deficiency” in Lerwick.
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