Since its launch in October, Telcocat has received over 1,000 calls and handled 450 incidents, with 750 town councils joining. This channel aims to end coverage problems, especially in small municipalities, by requiring operators to report to the Generalitat and affected town councils regarding supply interruptions.
Albert Tort, secretary of telecommunications for the Government, has positively assessed the service, calling it a "paradigm shift" due to the integration of local entities, the Generalitat, and operators. Of these incidents, 88 are recurring, allowing for the identification of weak points to strengthen the network. This is the first time town councils have a direct channel to report and track breakdowns.
Mobile coverage issues lead the list with 294 cases (64%), followed by broadband (17%, 81 incidents), combined affectations (13%, 62), and TDT coverage (4%, 22). Tort highlights that over 60% of incidents are related to mobile coverage, crucial for data and payment terminals.
Xavier Castellana, third vice-president of the Consell Comarcal del Solsonès and head of Telecommunications, praised the initiative, noting it facilitates communication with operators. He pointed out the complexity of communications in small, dispersed municipalities within the region, where lack of coverage impacts tourism and commercial activities, such as in Sant Llorenç de Morunys.
The TelcoCat service is part of the Government's objective to strengthen Catalonia's telecommunications network. The Generalitat is deploying a public fiber optic network, already exceeding 8,000 kilometers, aiming to reach all municipalities by 2028. Concurrently, it promotes the XCatConnecta project to connect 6,100 public sites and facilities to this network.
