Comments on: The O2 blackout zone of Moseley

By: Guy Fothergill

Guy Fothergill — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:50:07 +0000

Hi Jason,
I am an Orange’er and never had a problem in and around Moseley. I have been looking into a new phone though and interesting to read about different networks & problems.

By: gaz

gaz — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:18:09 +0000

Heres me thinking, am I the only person in this town who doesn’t get a signal?!? I’m on O2 and I get nothing in the village but it works fine at home up on St Agnes Road! My girlfriend is on Vodafone and she gets nothing at home but hers works fine in the village?!

By: JASON

JASON — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 03:44:43 +0000

DOES ANY1 KNW WHAT IS THE BEST MOBILE PHONE NETWORK IN MOSELEY?

By: Dave C

Dave C — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:46:48 +0000

A place with no mobile phone signal…sounds like heaven to me.

Maybe we should set up ‘Luddite Zones’ for those of us who are able (and actually enjoy) spending time in the company of people who are Off-Line :)

By: srboisvert

srboisvert — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:42:31 +0000

I’d like to like Moseley. I means what’s not to like about a lovely community that locks up its park and prefers abandoned car dealerships to functioning grocery stores? So instead all the shit that Moseley doesn’t want ends up in Kings Heath. Including me. If it weren’t for Kabbabish & the occasional non-weekend chimay at the Fighting Cocks I would never go there.

By: Jez

Jez — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:34:17 +0000

“From memory there was a mast proposed on top of where Cinephilia used to be, but the Chantry Road committee lobbied against it.”

This mast was built, but without applying for planning permission. So it got taken down. What they did build probably wouldn’t have got permission anyway, as it falls within the conservation area. However, as Paul says, a little imagination goes along way, and I’m pretty sure that the Moseley Society made a number of positive suggestions. I still don’t know if it was an 02 mast, nor why it wasn’t persued.

By: Stef

Stef — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:57:02 +0000

From memory there was a mast proposed on top of where Cinephilia used to be, but the Chantry Road committee lobbied against it.

I’ve had the same problem. And if you check out which mast you are connected to, at my home it’s actually the Harbourne mast, which just strikes me as odd!

If they could finally sort this out, and convince the Hare and Hounds to have WIFI I and others would be laughing – internet access is a nightmare in Moseley.

By: catnip

catnip — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:55:57 +0000

me! The Fighting Cocks is an almost perfect venue for tweetups and the like, if only one could get a signal :(

By: Pete Ashton

Pete Ashton — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:47:48 +0000

@jez It’s most notable on the main road. When you turn off to the sidestreets you get a signal again. Maybe because I usually try and access while on the bus I notice it more?

Wasn’t intending to accuse of Nimbyism, more noting that Moseley-ites tend to notice dodgy planning applications more than in other areas, which is a good thing. If this was the case all I’m asking is they try again and do so properly this time.

By: focalplane

focalplane — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:13:33 +0000

Well, we don’t live in Moseley but it is interesting that the O2 signal where we live is stronger than others and the mast is all of five miles away. We live in a valley, as well, so there is no “line of sight” advantage. Planning rules should be followed, of course, but the complaints people use for not having a mast in their neighborhood tend to be on the hysterical side. I have seen masts disguised as pine trees so a little creativity could be exercised by the phone companies to overcome nimby pressures.

The UK has reasonable mobile coverage but generally I have found so-called third world countries to be much better served, both in coverage and cost per minute. That may be due to the land lines being unreliable. But in the first world that would be used as an excuse to charge more for mobile use.

And, Jez, you will be pleased to know that the iPhone did indeed have its own “Steve Jobs reality field” signal – but only at MacWorld in San Francisco!

By: Jez

Jez — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:15:34 +0000

I was (until my unrelated and rather historic switch last week) an O2 customer, and have never noticed an O2 dead zone in Moseley. Perhaps it only affects the special magic iPhone signal?

There was a recent mast-goes-up/mast-comes-down again shenanighans at the end of Woodbridge Road. I can’t remember if O2 were the operator in question, but it’s a little bit naughty to hint at nimby-ism. There’s really no excuse for any company, of whatever size, to be ignore planning laws.