UK islanders lose phone access in power cuts as MP calls battery backups 'simply not adequate'

A woman suffering a heart attack on Scotland's Berneray had to walk to a neighbor for help after a communications outage had left her unable to make the call to emergency services.

Here's what to know

The island's main mobile provider and broadband providers have faced continuing problems with mobile and internet connections, prompting Berneray's community council to contact the Stornoway Gazette.

For residents, the wait for services to return had become increasingly frustrating, the council said.

Some residents have been left without their usual ways to communicate: mobile, internet, and home phone services are all unavailable. The change from analog to digital landlines has added to the problem.

Bad-weather power cuts can also leave people unable to communicate, Torcuil Crichton, MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, told the House of Commons as he raised the issue. He said, "Openreach resilience plans – battery packs for vulnerable customers – are simply not adequate … and the commitment of mobile phone providers to servicing and maintaining masts is like their signal – patchy."

More background

The Berneray woman was still recovering after being flown away for treatment, according to community council chair Margaret Macaskill. She lived alone and suffered the heart attack at night, reaching a neighbor who had a phone.

For a vulnerable Harris resident living alone, a separate emergency brought no way to summon help, Crichton said.

To call an ambulance, the doctor had to travel to a place with a phone signal. Before that, a neighbor had to drive to reach the doctor.

Beyond the risks during medical emergencies, the disruption has prevented some Berneray residents from working from home, Macaskill said.

What's being done?

The broadband provider said technicians had identified the cause of Berneray's broadband outage and were working to reconnect customers.

"We are aware of an issue impacting broadband services on the Isle of Berneray. Our engineers have identified the issue and are working to restore services as quickly as possible," a spokesperson for the broadband provider said. "Specialist equipment required to complete the repair is being expedited, and our teams are ready to carry out the necessary work as soon as it arrives. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank customers for their patience while we work to resolve this."

For isolated communities where neighbors are far apart, and emergency care is hard to reach, Crichton sought stronger digital resilience. He asked Security Minister Dan Jarvis to bring phone companies together and press for improvements.

He asked, "Can I press the minister to call the phone companies in, get them to build up digital resilience - not in the easy places but on the edge, where people are isolated from their neighbours, where the ambulance is an hour away and the wind is blowing at 70mph," and said he would press both private companies and the government for a solution.

Where can I learn more?

For Berneray residents, unreliable connections have made it harder to get help in an emergency.

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