Call for transmitter ban to continue - have your say

9:24am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Stephen Hackwell

Call for transmitter ban to continue Call for transmitter ban to continue

WORRIED councillors have called for a ban on wireless transmitters on top of public buildings to be kept in place because of health fears.

Politicians from all parties at Southend Council said “nothing had changed” since the embargo was brought in 12 years ago, despite Tory chiefs wanting to overturn it.

They claimed fears telecommunications technology could cause health problems if it was installed too near to people’s homes and schools had not been disproved by a decade of scientific research.

Peter Wexham, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Leigh , said: “I would ask: what has changed? Nothing has changed.

“We are in the same situation we were when this policy was approved the first time.”

David Garston, a Tory councillor for Southchurch, added: “There has been no conclusive proof they can cause problems, but equally there’s been no conclusive proof they don’t.”

Earlier this year, council bosses revealed plans to hook up a wireless network covering the entire borough by installing transmitters at strategic points. The move would allow customers to search the internet at any spot within Southend, including its beaches and parks, on laptops, smartphones and tablet computers.

While paid-up residents would be able to surf the entire internet, visitors may be given limited access to the council’s website or other tourist information to find their way around.

Andrew Moring, the Tory councillor responsible for support services, argued the ban on transmitters had been imposed in a different era and there was now “12 years of evidence to fall back on”.

He added: “The world has moved on, and we must move on too.”

Comments (8)

9:41am Tue 25 Sep 12

DEBT*COLLECTOR says...

Its about time we had transmitters on every building as we the public pay for wifi and mobile phone signals and so many areas have poor reception. There are always do gooders and trouble makers objecting to masts etc etc. Give the paying public more mast so we can use our equipment as she should be used. Theres more chance of dying from a shark attack than from a signal mast and who want to ban sharks. Get the masts up and stuff the moaning minnies
Its about time we had transmitters on every building as we the public pay for wifi and mobile phone signals and so many areas have poor reception. There are always do gooders and trouble makers objecting to masts etc etc. Give the paying public more mast so we can use our equipment as she should be used. Theres more chance of dying from a shark attack than from a signal mast and who want to ban sharks. Get the masts up and stuff the moaning minnies DEBT*COLLECTOR

9:57am Tue 25 Sep 12

Audioman says...

I must agree with'DEBT COLLECTOR
We must have more transmitters we have the worst cell phone coverage in
the WORLD.If I had land they could
put as many as they liked on it.
I must agree with'DEBT COLLECTOR We must have more transmitters we have the worst cell phone coverage in the WORLD.If I had land they could put as many as they liked on it. Audioman

10:46am Tue 25 Sep 12

Chris Flunk says...

"There has been no conclusive proof they can cause problems, but equally there’s been no conclusive proof they don’t."

There's also no conclusive proof that reading the echo website won't cause long term damage to my brain. Switch it off now!
"There has been no conclusive proof they can cause problems, but equally there’s been no conclusive proof they don’t." There's also no conclusive proof that reading the echo website won't cause long term damage to my brain. Switch it off now! Chris Flunk

10:57am Tue 25 Sep 12

Laurence Ward says...

That's just the cerebrally challenged Councillor Garston failing to understand that you can't prove the absence of something.
That's just the cerebrally challenged Councillor Garston failing to understand that you can't prove the absence of something. Laurence Ward

11:46am Tue 25 Sep 12

Chairman Meow says...

This is a very simplistic argument, it depends what type of transmitters are being used, i.e. what frequencies and what kind of modulation system. For example a 100W Tetra system might be a hazard, whereas a 500W FM band 2 should be fine.

Close proximity to high levels of radio energy should not be dismissed as a potential health hazard. There will always be dead spots for UHF/microwave cell phone coverage, operators should concentrate on improving the existing capacity of their present installations, rather than simply adding more at other locations.
This is a very simplistic argument, it depends what type of transmitters are being used, i.e. what frequencies and what kind of modulation system. For example a 100W Tetra system might be a hazard, whereas a 500W FM band 2 should be fine. Close proximity to high levels of radio energy should not be dismissed as a potential health hazard. There will always be dead spots for UHF/microwave cell phone coverage, operators should concentrate on improving the existing capacity of their present installations, rather than simply adding more at other locations. Chairman Meow

1:46pm Tue 25 Sep 12

aduksquack says...

DEBT*COLLECTOR wrote:
Its about time we had transmitters on every building as we the public pay for wifi and mobile phone signals and so many areas have poor reception. There are always do gooders and trouble makers objecting to masts etc etc. Give the paying public more mast so we can use our equipment as she should be used. Theres more chance of dying from a shark attack than from a signal mast and who want to ban sharks. Get the masts up and stuff the moaning minnies
This is for wifi, not 2/3/4G cellular signals.

I'm assuming those councillors objecting to the public wifi signal on health grounds don't have wifi at home.
[quote][p][bold]DEBT*COLLECTOR[/bold] wrote: Its about time we had transmitters on every building as we the public pay for wifi and mobile phone signals and so many areas have poor reception. There are always do gooders and trouble makers objecting to masts etc etc. Give the paying public more mast so we can use our equipment as she should be used. Theres more chance of dying from a shark attack than from a signal mast and who want to ban sharks. Get the masts up and stuff the moaning minnies[/p][/quote]This is for wifi, not 2/3/4G cellular signals. I'm assuming those councillors objecting to the public wifi signal on health grounds don't have wifi at home. aduksquack

5:02pm Tue 25 Sep 12

Chairman Meow says...

For wifi coverage of the entire borough using domestic type ERP levels it would mean a huge amount would be required, for adequate coverage, about every 100 yards. If you just use a small number covering such a large area from tall buildings, they'd be using a much higher ERP, which is more problematic in terms of determining health hazards.

Given that street lighting is already in place, adding the technology to lampposts (using domestic ERP levels) would be far more practical and shouldn't raise any health concerns.
For wifi coverage of the entire borough using domestic type ERP levels it would mean a huge amount would be required, for adequate coverage, about every 100 yards. If you just use a small number covering such a large area from tall buildings, they'd be using a much higher ERP, which is more problematic in terms of determining health hazards. Given that street lighting is already in place, adding the technology to lampposts (using domestic ERP levels) would be far more practical and shouldn't raise any health concerns. Chairman Meow

9:42pm Tue 25 Sep 12

E-Types... says...

Tony Ball, the Basildon council leader, could quite easily have on planted on his bald dome and no one would be surprised.
Tony Ball, the Basildon council leader, could quite easily have on planted on his bald dome and no one would be surprised. E-Types...

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