Scottish government unveils £25m 4G network coverage programme
The £25m programme to infill gaps in 4G mobile network coverage mostly across the Highlands and Islands region was launched at the spring Convention of the Highlands and Islands (CoHI), a biannual series of meetings run by Holyrood between the Scottish government and member organisations for sustainable economic growth.
With a focus on 4G coverage, there is also potential for the programme to enable access to faster internet connections for rural areas using mobile broadband.
Scottish Connectivity Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “As part of our Mobile Action Plan we have legislated to reduce planning controls making it easier for operators to deploy new or existing infrastructure, and we are considering further actions in this regard. Our Scottish 4G Infill Programme is a critical part of the Mobile Action Plan.”
The Scottish government has 16 sites in mind around the country for the programme to address, with funding to be provided for new mobile masts and towers where no coverage yet exists.
Scottish government secretary of rural affairs and connectivity, Fergus Ewing, said: “Improving mobile coverage across Scotland is key to achieving our ambition to become fully digitally connected. Our innovative Mobile Action Plan outlines how we are working with industry and other partners to improve coverage."
The 4G mobile network coverage programme is a result of an extensive consultation process by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), with the aim to improve mobile connectivity for local residents and businesses.
SFT chief executive Peter Reekie said: “Over the past three years, SFT has been working closely with industry to create a collaborative platform for the development of a publicly funded intervention to extend 4G coverage into the more remote rural areas of Scotland.
“This has enabled SFT to take into consideration their feedback, build on the experience gained from our pilot projects and incorporate the lessons learnt from similar programmes.”
It is hoped the scheme will eventually be rolled out to between 60 and 70 further locations and will also benefit the United Kingdom’s overall coverage targets for mobile.
