Canterbury town hoping to say goodbye to bad cell reception

Kelly Baker can only make phone calls from her kitchen but West Melton’s cell reception will improve when new towers like this one on the corner of Hoskyns and Newton Rds come online. Photo: Supplied

This is the only spot Kelly Baker can make a call in her house – but several new cell towers are about to change that.

Baker lives in the south-west of West Melton where cellphone reception has been a problem for years.

“When my teenagers are at home alone, I worry they may not be able to get in touch with me,” Baker said.

Now Spark, One New Zealand and 2degrees are promising coverage in West Melton will improve. The three telecommunications providers are each in the process of building or planning cell towers in the area over the next 12 months.

The Spark tower on the corner of Hoskyns and Newton Rds is almost operational. PHOTO: BARRY CLARKE

A Spark tower is nearing completion on the corner of Hoskyns and Newton Rds near where Baker lives.

“Once live, this will greatly improve connectivity for those using the Spark mobile network in West Melton,” a Spark spokesperson said.

One New Zealand said its tower in north-west West Melton, near Halkett Rd, is expected to be operational within the next few weeks.

“A second site in the south-east of West Melton is expected to be finished before the end of 2025,” the spokesperson said.

In Weedons, 2degrees upgraded its tower in December to provide 5G coverage.

It plans to upgrade its West Melton site later this year.

The poor phone coverage across West Melton may have ironically been a result of residents opposing cell towers because they believed they could be eyesores.

It led to shorter towers being built, making them less effective.

West Melton Residents Association chair Sam Wilshire said it was unfortunate those opposed to the towers got their way.

He said it was “a select few having a whinge.”

Wilshire said poor coverage hampered communication during a large vegetation fire in December which forced about 50 homes and a caravan park to be evacuated.

“We had no power, no cellphone coverage, we were in the dark,” he said.

“I’m a community response team leader and I didn’t know we had opened an emergency evacuation centre until two hours after it had opened.”

Wilshire said the tower improvements sound “awesome” but he believes the community will have to wait-and-see if their coverage will improve once they are up and running.

Telecommunications Forum chief executive Paul Brislen said when residents push back on towers being built in their area they generally go to the back of the queue.

“If the companies face a push-back in a certain area they cross it off the list and move on to the next because the demand is so high.”

Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg has been pushing for better cellphone coverage.

“I have been actively advocating for improved connectivity for residents and, as a result, all three major telecommunications providers have been building new towers to support the district’s rapid growth,” Grigg said.