'Phone coverage is rubbish here and it's a nightmare'

SHOPKEEPERS say "terrible" internet and phone coverage in a town is impacting businesses and inconveniencing customers - despite a council's ongoing bid to improve 5G connectivity.

- By RICHARD EVANS Local Democracy Reporter

An estimated 200,000 day-trippers flocked to the seaside resort of Llandudno over the bank holiday weekend as the annual Victorian Extravaganza came to town for its 40th anniversary.

But the Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to numerous shopkeepers who continue to report blackspots in the town centre, despite the council working with 5G providers.

Traders say the problem is made worse, as even if credit and debit cards work, many people now pay on their mobile phones, which require a connection.

Other shopkeepers reported customers having to constantly leave their store whilst trying to get an internet or phone service.

Kelly Dykes is the manager of Taylor's Cafe Bar on Lloyd Street and explained the problem.

"The internet is absolutely rubbish," she said. "A lot of businesses have Wi-Fi, but it still affects people, especially people coming on holiday trying to shop around Llandudno, and they can't get a signal at all, unless they go into a shop to connect to Wi-Fi. It is a bit of a nightmare.

"People complain about phones too. They don't even ring. They say there is 4G and 5G, but it doesn't work. Mobile data doesn't work at all."

Kevin Ward runs The Great British Cheese Company on the pier. Kevin explained more needed to be done to improve the internet in Llandudno as many people now made electronic payments on their phones. "Connection is not good on the pier," he said.

"It is the phone signal that is bad. Sometimes people pay using their phones. That is when the connection is bad. My card machines are up to date. They can search all the networks, so they pretty much work all the time. But during the extravaganza, even these machines were taking two or three goes, and if people didn't have up-to-date machines, they wouldn't work at all. It will affect businesses if people only have cash because since COVID not everyone carries cash."