A MAJOR phone provider has turned off a mast in west Dorset, leaving customers without coverage, it is claimed.

And a Bridport man said the blackout is costing him much-needed work.

The switch-off of the masts used by phone provider EE (formerly Orange) means that signal has been virtually non-existent in the town since the start of August, customers claim.

It is understood that the mast at the fire station has been switched off while engineering work is taking place.

Roger Willis, of Victoria Grove, said: “I am looking for work and my primary contact number is my mobile.

“With things as they are it now has to be left on the bedroom shelf, which is the one place in the house I can get signal.”

Mr Willis said he had complained to the company and was offered a choice of half-price line rental for six months, a wifi phone repeater to boost the signal, or termination of the contract with no penalty.

But his wife, who has a 'pay as you go' agreement with EE, has had no choice but to change her provider, he added.

He said: “I'm really determined to object to this. There was no notice when the signal was cut off.

“You can't get reception anywhere, even in the centre of Bridport.

“I just don't know how the company can behave in this way.”

Another EE customer, who works in the phone industry and didn't want to be named, said the problem was affecting the whole of Bridport town centre.

She said: “I personally haven't had any signal for almost two months, and I know this is something that's affecting a lot of people. We have been getting a lot of conflicting advice from the company. The mast at the fire station is the only one that serves Bridport and in June they said they were taking it down for maintenance, or to make network improvements.

“I understand that they are planning to put it back up but the problems are still going on.”

A Salway Ash resident said he could not get any signal when he visits the town centre for work.

He said: “I have to lean out of a window to get any reception, which is obviously not ideal, and people need to be able to get hold of me when I'm working.

“It's ridiculous, because it's a service I'm paying for that isn't being provided.”

A spokesman for EE said: “We are aware that some customers in the Bridport area are experiencing problems with making calls.

“This is due to a technical fault and we are working with our partners to restore coverage as soon as possible.

“We apologise for the inconvenience.”