Now, we’ve all heard of people having a go at mobile telephone masts. And to be fair, whether you’re against them, for them, or, like most people, totally ambivalent, they are an integral part of life. No phone masts, no mobile network, no mobile telephones. If the mobile telecom companies didn’t seem to make a habit off erecting them near to schools – an obvious PR disaster in the making– then a lot of the controversy might never happen. Who really complains about the masts when they are situated on tall industrial buildings, or alongside motorways?

Who knows what effects all these wireless networks out there are having upon us? But one thing is for sure, bring down masts, halt all wireless networks, and life would be very different indeed; almost a step back in time.

A story has just emerged which seems to emphasise the deep hypocrisy of our everyday lives. A group of London residents are complaining bitterly to their local authority, Enfield Council, about yet another mast being erected in their neighbourhood, making it an incredible 14 mobile phone masts in one square mile alone. This latest mast is being erected on behalf of Orange and is going up despite Enfield council’s objections. They could not refuse on health grounds (as a cause and effect has not been established), but refused for aesthetic reasons.

The council lost an appeal, Orange won and up went the mast: residents were outraged.  Yet all bar one of the residents who organised a co-ordinated no campaign, admitted they were regular uses of mobile phones. Orange pointed out that without these masts, the network would break down, especially as they admit such low signal strengths and so have to be placed where people need them – mostly in built-up areas.

Orange also pointed out that there have been no proper scientific studies that have proved that these masts cause health problems. So, there you have it; one of life’s modern dilemmas. No-one wants a phone mast in their backyard, but if you don’t have them in someone’s back yard, you don’t get a good network.

Figure that one out.