Lack of 4G coverage causes mobile blackouts

A new Which? survey has revealed that millions of mobile phone internet users suffer from frequent signal blackouts due to the lack of reliable 4G coverage, with nearly 80 per cent of all areas found to have inconsistent 4G mobile coverage from one of the UK’s top four operators.

The research comes as no surprise to those residing in rural regions across the country, who are recipient to some of the country’s poorest mobile networks, and have been fighting to improve coverage for many years.

Chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) People and Places Board, Mark Hawthorne, emphasised the need to hold operators accountable for any deals they agree upon to “ensure that our communities and businesses receive the world-class connectivity they deserve.

“To prosper in the digital age, residents and businesses need access to fast and reliable digital connectivity at home, at work and while on the move.”

“High quality and consistent mobile coverage is a vital part of this, and can only be achieved if our communities are served by all four major mobile operators, not just one or two.”

The claim comes at a time when Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to provide nationwide full fibre by 2025 – eight years faster than the initially proposed government plans. However, the government has pledged to increase geographic mobile coverage to 95 per cent of the country by 2022.

In an attempt to combat the effects of poor mobile coverage, a spokesperson from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said: “We’ve made major changes to regulation and planning laws, making it cheaper and easier for the industry to roll out or share masts.

“Improving mobile coverage in rural areas is a priority and we are considering all of the options available, including rural roaming, to facilitate this.”