by Ross Lidbetter

ross.lidbetter@essnmedia.co.uk

There can be no complaints about poor mobile phone reception in Croydon.

An Advertiser investigation has discovered there are 230 locations across the borough which are home to mobile phone base stations.

The base stations are behind the transmitting and receiving of mobile signals.

They can be big or small and have transmitters and receivers in a cabin or cabinet connected to antennas.

They can be based anywhere in the borough from a multi-storey car park to on top of an office block or behind a billboard.

These stations differ to a phone mast, which is just a physical structure and typically 15 metres high and support antennas.

A spokesman for Ofcom said: "They wouldn't all necessarily be immediately obvious - you would have to know what you're really looking for to actually see them."

A number of the stations are based in the town centre, with five in North End alone.

This is due to the fact more base stations are needed where mobile phone usage is high.

Operators, including T-Mobile, 02 and Vodafone, also have bases in Wellesley Road, Croydon High Street and Church Street.

But it is not just central Croydon as there are stations across every part of the borough from Norbury to New Addington.

Riddlesdown Residents' Association chairman Brian Longman, has spoken with mobile phone operators about their coverage in his area.

Referring specifically to mobile phone masts, Mr Longman explained: "We're not a NIMBY organisation because we all use mobile phones.

"We all want mobile phones and we have generally had some good dialogue with network operators.

"This includes the operators sharing masts because you don't need a mast on every corner."

One mobile phone operator defended the building of so many mobile phone base stations and played down concerns about the health implications.

A spokeswoman for Orange said: "Orange understands that locating base stations within communities can sometimes cause concern.

"However, they are required to provide coverage to our customers in the surrounding area.

"On health, Orange takes advice from UK and world authorities such as the Health Protection Agency (and) the World Health Organisation.

"Based on extensive radio wave research over the last 40 years these bodies have developed international guidelines to protect everyone in the population from over exposure to radio frequency.

"This includes phone users, those who work or live around base stations, as well as people who do not use mobile phones.

"Orange has always operated and will continue to operate within the stringent standards set for radio networks by these bodies."