Legal Dispute Over Mast Disconnects Strathspey Broadband Customers UPDATE2

Fife-based ISP Transmitair, which specialises in rolling out ultrafast Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband networks to rural parts of Scotland, has confirmed that homes and businesses across their coverage patch in Strathspey (Highlands of Scotland) have been left disconnected for around 5 days due to a legal dispute over a mast.

The issue appears to centre around the Laggan Hill mast, which sits nearby-ish to Dulnain Bridge and appears to be owned or managed by Arqiva (based on a sign hanging outside the site). The site previously only acted as a television relay, although a few years ago it was also adopted to help deploy a new wireless broadband network across the remote rural community of Strathspey.

However, more than 70 homes and businesses across a wide geographical area have, without warning, been left cut off from their wireless broadband link since Friday 28th March 2025. The issue is reportedly down to an unspecified legal dispute between the ISP and the mast site’s owners.

A Spokesperson for TransmitAIR said (Strathspey Herald):

“Further to our notice on Friday we are awaiting an update from our legal team as to the ongoing dispute with the operator of the main Laggan mast. At present we don’t have a timescale for resumption of services but we are looking to receive updates soon and organise a swift resolution.

As a company we have worked hard to build a network to bring an experience that would not normally be achievable for many in Strathspey. We are truly sorry for the disruption to the service our customers have all come to expect and rely on.

Further updates will follow as soon we have them.”

Disputes happen, although the fact this one was allowed to progress to the point of a total service shut-down – without customers being given any prior warning, does not reflect well on either company. Broadband connectivity is a critical service for many users, particularly in some remote areas where viable alternatives may not exist.

The only positive news is that TransmitAIR, which has declined to provide any details on the nature of the dispute itself, has confirmed they will not be charging customers for the period of lost service. Some customers have been able to get back online via local mobile (4G/5G) broadband networks, but this may not be an option for everybody and won’t necessarily perform as well.

UPDATE 2nd April 2025 @ 2:11pm

We’ve been informed that the dispute involves Cellnex UK.

UPDATE 2nd April 2025 @ 4:50pm

We’ve had a comment from Cellnex UK, which adds some useful context.

A Cellnex UK spokesperson told ISPreview:

We’ve been working incredibly hard over a number of months to engage with Transmitair and to establish a plan to ensure continuity of services. We hoped to reach a resolution however all attempts have failed and we were regrettably forced to issue them with a notice to end the contract, resulting in their licence now having been terminated. We continue to liaise and co-operate with Transmitair’s representatives.

Cellnex UK is a wholesale infrastructure provider, engaged in the provision of electronic communications sites and infrastructure to electronic communications service providers.