A proliferation of new masts

Tuesday 27th October 2009, 2:58PM GMT.

From Adam Knowlson.
TONIGHT’S JEP (Fri, 24 Oct) reported that Clear Mobitel is ‘close to’ being allowed to make Jersey the first place in Europe – lucky us – to have a radio-based broadband network and that the Company was ‘well on the way’ to being granted a licence next month by the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority.

The island must be overwhelmed by demand for ‘instant access’ to ‘next generation games’ and ‘high definition broadcast’ – both already available.

What a shame that the downside will be a ‘proliferation of new masts in sites around the Island’ and that we will all then, in addition to existing provision, be fortunate enough to be Clear Mobitel ‘hot spots’.

Sounds like a done deal – but don’t worry, this is a planning issue and the ultimate veto will lie with that champion of the environment, Senator Freddie Cohen.

I can’t help thinking that we are more likely to have to rely on the Public Health Intelligence Unit to say that ‘enough is enough’.

1
Islander

October 27, 2009 at 4:04 pm

Why should you assume that there is any any Public health issue to be invoked?

If there is any health issue it is from the mobile phones and not from the masts. Which of those are you closest to when you use one of the phones?

I do not own a mobile phone so I have no personal interest in that side of the problem. I do have computers and would be very happy to be able to use them on the internet through a fast link.

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2
Pip Clement

October 27, 2009 at 5:50 pm

The total market is only about 90,000 people at the very most so allowing in yet another operator must be making each one’s slice of the pie smaller.
Competition may be good for the consumer in the short run but if no one is making much profit, long term investment could be cut leaving the island with a less than world class system.

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3
Magnolia Man

October 27, 2009 at 8:15 pm

Pip Clement wrote that “long term investment could be cut leaving the island with a less than world class system”.

Would the writer care to expand on that premise, please, and to explain the thought behind the idea?

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4
Pip Clement

October 27, 2009 at 9:08 pm

I must admit to a touch of irony there!
Jersey’s access to the Internet is poorer and more expensive than almost all of our competitors and we are in fact falling further behind.
If 21st century finance relies on computer technology and fast communications then we are already falling behind in this critical area of the ‘arms race’ with our competitors.
Woffling on endlessly about ‘world class’ is not a substitute for having the bandwidth and I cannot see a tiny and highly segmented market providing the returns needed to justify the investment.

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