Missed hospital appointments and lost business due to poor mobile phone signal in Kent
Kent MP, Kevin McKenna, is calling for urgent action to improve phone coverage across Sittingbourne and Sheppey
A woman from Kent has told us she's missed hospital appointments due to poor mobile phone signal in her area.
Michelle lives in Iwade and frequently goes to the hospital, she said: "I takes along time to get appointments which is why it used to upset me greatly because I was quite poorly at one.
"However, I've tried to get used to it, I'm still here, it just means I've got that extra feeling of 'why do I bother.'"
While classed as a village, Iwade has a population of nearly 5,000 people and with houses being built in the area, that number will only continue to rise.
Residents say they've had problems with their phone signal for over a decade, causing calls to drop out, messages to not send and unreliable internet.
It means their ability to work from home, stay connected with loved ones, or access emergency services are all hampered.
Alison is the manager of the Woolpack in Iwade, she said: "People can never get through to us so I can never hear what they are saying and I can't take bookings over the phone.
"It's diabolical, we are living in the 21st Century but we might as well be living in the dark ages."
Kent MP, Kevin McKenna, is now calling for urgent action to improve phone coverage across Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
Soon after being elected, Mr McKenna met with Ministers to discuss the issue, informing him that Ofcom’s mobile coverage data is unreliable.
In response, Ofcom has launched a new online tool that allows the public to check mobile signal strength in their area and report any inaccuracies directly, which Kevin is urging residents to use
He said: "Currently, their website says the centre of Iwade has good signal but we all know it doesn't.
"I need people to go to the website, report the bad signal in their area, therefore making it known to OFCOM what the signal, and not just what they're being told by the mobile phone companies."