NETWORK provider EE has said that phone signal problems for Maldon customers over this weekend and last is down to upgrade work on two masts.

The telecommunications giant has been carrying out engineering work on the masts, affecting local services, on both days last weekend (Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 October) and for both days this weekend.

In social media posts, several customers in the area have reported loss of signal for a number of hours on all four days. Some have complained that they had no notice of the works in advance and have not been offered any refund or compensation for loss of service.

A spokesperson for EE said today (Sunday, 1 November): ""We're aware that customers in the Maldon area of Essex have been experiencing signal issues following upgrade work on two local masts.

"We are working to resolve this as quickly as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused."

The company also said that those affected can use the wi-fi calling service, which allows them to make and receive calls and texts using a wi-fi connection until the network issue is resolved.

The spokesperson added: "We'd recommend all affected customers to contact our customer services team to discuss their situation.

"We assess all customer enquiries for compensation on a case-by-case basis, taking into account how long an issue has been going on for and how each individual's service has been affected."