Plans afoot to upgrade coverage

PROGRESS: 2degrees and Vodafone coverage in Greytown is set to improve.

Cellphone coverage is tipped to improve for frustrated 2degrees and Vodafone customers in Greytown.

Greytown is notorious as a black hole for reception and 2degrees is proposing to install two sites that would improve coverage for its customers around the commercial centre of town.

Vodafone is also signalling plans to improve coverage in the near future.

"2degrees is proposing microcell sites attached to the lamp post on the corner of Main St and Hastwell St," said Margaret Craig, Greytown ward councillor for the South Wairarapa District Council.

"We've got very poor coverage so we are interested."

She said the sites would be very small.

"You wouldn't even notice them, they are twice the size of a light bulb."

A microcell is a miniature version of a cell site with a smaller range.

Mrs Craig said Vodafone coverage was still bad and hoped the 2degrees move would prompt it to take action.

Greytown community board member Leigh Hay said the lack of coverage ultimately hurt Greytown and she believed people should support 2degrees.

"They have really come to the party and have put up a considerable financial contribution to do this.

"Vodafone have basically ignored us."

2degrees corporate communications manager Charlene White said Greytown was an important, expanding rural township and the company had identified a need to improve mobile coverage there.

"Our proposed solution will provide customers with much better coverage to the central commercial area."

This year, Vodafone chief executive Russell Stanners wrote to South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples and said there were no plans to build a cell site in Greytown.

But on Thursday, a media spokeswoman said the company was planning to build a cell site in Greytown in the near future.

Telecom has the closest cell site to Greytown and 2degrees has cell sites near Carterton and Featherston.

A Vodafone cell site in Featherston services Greytown.

New Vodafone cell sites are also planned for Opaki and Carterton Central in the next 12 months, and Palliser Bay in the next 24 to 36 months.

Mrs Craig said the 2degrees proposal would go to the council for the relevant consents.

It can be viewed at the Greytown Public Library.