Network analyst firm Streetwave is working with the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) to conduct what they’re called the “largest mobile coverage survey ever conducted in the UK“. This uses bin lorries to survey the coverage and speed of 4G and 5G mobile (broadband) networks across 33 West Midlands (England) and Wales councils.

The use of bin collections to map mobile network coverage and data performance recently become quite popular (here, here, here, here and here). In this setup, refuse collection vehicles are installed with four off-the-shelf Smartphones using software from Streetwave on top, which run continuous network tests (once every 20 metres in rural areas and 5m in urban areas) as the vehicles go about their routes.

The data this creates is typically more detailed and accurate than the flaky estimates of mobile network coverage that are so often produced by mobile operators and Ofcom, which is because bin lorries need to go down almost every single road in order to conduct their collections and do so on a regular basis. Suffice to say that this makes them a uniquely useful and cost-effective resource for conducting this sort of study.

In addition, portable data collection units will be made available to residents to test coverage along “off-road locations including farms and walking paths“. The new survey will then go a step further by surveying the coverage of Long Range Wide Area Networks (LoRaWAN) too, which harness a small slice of lower frequency radio spectrum (usually bands like 868MHz or 915MHz) to support relatively slow and low power data connections.

LoRaWAN networks tend to run at sub-Megabit broadband speeds (some variants can handle several Megabits per second), which makes them ideal for linking Internet of Things (IoT) style sensors. Several operators have deployed these (e.g. UK ISP Connexin), but there have been few detailed studies of their actual reach.

Professor Mark Barrow, Joint Chair of the River Severn Partnership, said:

“This survey represents a landmark effort to transform connectivity across the River Severn region. Once collected, we are making this data accessible to the region’s 3.5 million residents through Streetwave’s coverage checker. This solution will allow residents to easily check network coverage at specific addresses, empowering them to find the best possible connectivity solutions for their needs.”

The data collected is said to “serve a dual purpose“. Firstly, it will help businesses identify the most effective connectivity solutions for their operations, empowering them to make informed decisions that enhance their productivity and competitiveness.

Secondly, it will enable the River Severn Partnership to lobby mobile operators more effectively, advocating for necessary improvements in digitally excluded communities to benefit residents and businesses alike. Assuming, that is, the residents are happy for new masts to be built or even upgraded with more kit. People often want the service, but not always the new infrastructure that it requires, which can be tricky to resolve.

In addition, similar surveys have often enabled Streetwave to make an address-based coverage checker available so that people can see how specific locations perform (it’s unclear if the same will apply above), although in an ideal world they’d also be complementing this with a visualisation of that coverage (e.g. interactive map) to make surveying local connectivity a lot easier for people. But we’ve yet to see anything like that.

List of the 33 UK Council Areas Being Surveyed

Shropshire Council
Telford & Wrekin Council
Herefordshire Council
Monmouthshire County Council
Worcestershire County Council

Bromsgrove District Council
Malvern Hills District Council
Redditch Borough Council
Worcester City Council
Wychavon District Council
Wyre Forest District Council

Warwickshire County Council

North Warwickshire Borough Council
Nuneaton & Bedworth Council
Rugby Borough Council
Stratford District Council
Warwick District Council

Gloucestershire County Council

Cheltenham Borough Council
Cotswold District Council
Forest of Dean District Council
Gloucester City Council
Stroud District Council
Tewskesbury Borough Council

Staffordshire County Council

Cannock Chase District Council
East Staffordshire Borough Council
Lichfield District Council
Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council
South Staffordshire District Council
Stafford Borough Council
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
Tamworth Borough Council

Sky UK (Sky Broadband, Sky TV etc.) has warned customers of their services to be aware of “scam” websites that operate by “manipulating Google results or using deceptive ads” to target people looking for Sky’s support. Such sites are designed to “mislead customers” into calling premium rate numbers instead of the correct ones.

According to Sky, these “fraudulent sites“, some of which may adopt a similar style to Sky’s own website in an effort to “pose as Sky customer service“, direct users to phone premium rate numbers that “charge exorbitant rates” (sometimes up to more than £10 per minute!). Savvy consumers who know to check for the legitimate Sky domain will quickly spot these, but others can still be tricked.

Sky themselves say they “never use premium rate numbers” for support, although consumers who aren’t using either their Sky Mobile or Sky Talk service (i.e. support calls are usually free on those) may find that calls to their 03 numbers do still attract a cost (this can vary depending on where you’re calling from and what service you’re using).

Sky asks that anybody who encounters any suspicious websites or phone numbers like this should report them to the operator immediately so that they can take action to get them removed. The provider also provided a screenshot of a dodgy support site below, which appears to have been shut down some time ago.

Example of a Fake Sky Support Site

London focused UK broadband ISP G.Network, which is building a gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across parts of the city centre, has recently announced another change of Chairman as Ian Gray, who only took on the role in August 2023 after Sean Williams resigned (here), steps down to be replaced by Steve Andrews.

According to a Linkedin post by the operator, Ian’s departure is said to be because he has “achieved his goals” following the “successful refinancing and transformation of the business to enable commercial growth“. The operator is currently still building, albeit seemingly at a slower pace, and they’re now focusing a lot more on building customer take-up.

The news follows shortly after the operator secured an additional investment of £85m from long term equity investor USS to support their “next phase of growth“ (here), which was on top of last year’s commitment by the same investor for “up to an additional” £150m (here).

Meanwhile, Steve Andrews is an experienced TMT industry leader and current Non-Executive Director of the company, who will now assume the role of Chairman to “lead the business through its next phase“. In addition, the former CEO of Jersey Telecom (JT), Graeme Millar, will be joining the Board as a Non-Executive Director.

Bob Hewson (USS) and Aurelien Roelens (Cube) said:

“We would both like to personally thank Ian for his significant contribution as Chairman. He played a critical role in the transformation and refinancing of the company.”

Residential customers of the service typically pay from £17 per month for a 150Mbps (50Mbps upload) service on a 24-month term with free installation (£22 thereafter), which rises to £30 for their top 900Mbps plan (£35 thereafter). Shorter 12 and 1 month contracts are also available, albeit at extra cost, and a symmetric speed 900Mbps plan does exist too.

The latest progress update on the Scottish Government’s state aid supported £600m Reaching 100% (R100) project with Openreach (BT), which is predominantly rolling out full fibre (FTTP) broadband, has revealed that a total of 62,000 premises in some of the hardest to reach parts of the country have now been reached (up from 57,000 last month).

Just to recap. The R100 scheme aims to reach another 114,000 premises – split across three contracts – in areas that lack access to “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) by March 2028. LOT 1 (North Scotland and the Highlands) is expected to cover 60,764 premises (100% via FTTP) by 2027/28, while LOT 2 (Central Scotland) will reach 32,216 (95.6% via FTTP and the rest FTTC) by 2023/24 and LOT 3 (Southern Scotland) targets 21,889 (100% via FTTP) by 2024/25.

However, the figure of 62,000 premises almost certainly includes more than just the contracted R100 build, which is because the Scottish Government have recently made a habit out of including the impacts from gigabit vouchers and overspill into their R100 totals (explainer).

As previously reported (here), the R100 build is next due to start in dozens more places before the end of 2024, including the Hebridean island of Mull, Westray and Rousay in Orkney and Kilchoan in the Highlands. The Scottish Government has also produced a new video to showcase the various stages of this roll-out.

At present 77.6% of premises in Scotland can access a gigabit-capable (1Gbps download) broadband ISP network and this falls to 61.3% when only looking at FTTP technology (here). Ofcom predicts (here) that Scotland’s full fibre coverage will reach around 78-83% by May 2026, while gigabit-capable broadband (FTTP and Hybrid Fibre Coax / cable) should deliver 83-85% by that same date.

Sadly, the eventual completion of R100 will still leave a gap to fill, but resolving that will fall to the UK Government’s £5bn Project Gigabit broadband roll-out scheme. Some £450m (here) has already been allocated for this, and several procurements are currently underway (here and here), with Openreach being almost certain to win some of them (they’re expected to scoop the hardest Type C / Cross-Regional contracts).

The associated Building Digital UK agency has previously estimated that some 410,000 premises across Scotland may need support from public funding to help them gain access to such speeds (here).

Viewpoint

This article was written by Huseyin Turker, CTIO of Banglalink (VEON Group)

In today’s competitive telecom industry, providing exceptional CX is a critical differentiator. With rapid advancements in technology, strong market competition and increasing customer expectations, MNOs need robust Customer Experience Management and Crowd Source Analytics tools to meet customer demands effectively and quickly. These tools not only enhance customer satisfaction but also network excellence and business growth. 

Customer experience in telecom encompasses all interactions. A positive CX can lead to increased customer retention, higher NPS, and improved brand reputation. Conversely, poor customer experience can result in churn, negative reviews, and lost revenue. 

Effective CEM tools integrate various functionalities to provide a comprehensive view of the customer’s journey. Here are some key features:  

CX Channel Support: Seamless integration across multiple channels (VOLTE VOWIFI, email, chat, social media, and lifestyle applications) ensures that customers receive consistent and timely support regardless of the platform they choose to interact with. 

Customer Analytics: Advanced analytics capabilities allow telecom companies to track and analyze customer interactions and behaviors. This data-driven approach helps in identifying trends, pain points of customers, and opportunities for improvement and benchmark against competitors. 

Personalization: Leveraging AI, CEM Tool and CVM Integration can offer personalized experiences by tailoring recommendations, offers, and support based on individual customer preferences and history. 

Proactive Engagement: Predictive analytics enable MNO to anticipate customer needs and issues before they arise. Proactive engagement strategies, such as sending alerts about potential service disruptions or offering upgrades, can significantly enhance customer satisfaction. 

Near Real-Time Monitoring [t-5m]: Continuous monitoring of customer experience helps in promptly addressing issues and minimizing downtime. Near Real-time insights ensure that any disruptions are quickly identified and resolved. 

Feedback Management: Collecting and analyzing customer feedback through surveys, reviews allows telecom companies to understand customer sentiment and make necessary adjustments to their services. 

On the other hand, the industry is constantly evolving, driven by rapid advancements in technology and ever-increasing customer expectations. To stay competitive, MNOs must innovate and adapt quickly. One effective way to achieve this is through crowdsourcing—leveraging the collective intelligence to solve problems, generate ideas, and drive improvements. Crowdsourcing involves data collection through online platforms. This approach can harness the experience of a vast and diverse audience, leading to innovative solutions that might not emerge from traditional methods. 

Efficient Crowdsourcing Tools integrate diverse functionalities to provide a thorough view of the customer journey and benchmark customer experience between MNOs in the market. Here are some key features: 

Network MBB Performance Mapping: MNOs can crowdsource data from users’ mobile devices to create real-time maps of network speed, RTT and QoS.  

RAN Signal Mapping: MNOs can crowdsource data from users’ mobile devices to create real-time maps of network signal strength, quality, and coverage. The data can help identify areas with poor coverage or frequent dropouts, enabling targeted improvements. 

Sentiment Analysis: The data can provide MNOs with insights into customer sentiment and emerging trends.  

Benchmarking: Crowdsource analytics capabilities allow MNOs to analyze customer behaviors and benchmark MNOs MBB performance with the help of dual sim mobile devices. This data-driven approach helps in identifying trends, pain points of networks, and opportunities for improvement and benchmark against competitors. 

In Conclusion CEM Tools and Crowdsourcing Analytics offer many opportunities for MNOs to innovate, improve services, and engage with customers in meaningful ways. By leveraging the power of AI, CEM Tools, Crowdsource Analytics, and channels, MNOs can deliver personalized, proactive, and efficient experiences that drive customer loyalty and business growth, Also, MNOs can stay ahead of the competition and meet the evolving demands of the digital age. 

At Banglalink, we have strong governance on network experience, and we thoroughly observe network performance.  

Our focus is investment on network performance and consistency across regions/thanas/wards. 

We have partnerships with well-known OTTs and Crowdsource Analytics Service Providers. 

To excel our services, we have recently deployed a New Generation CEM Tool (Huawei SmartCare Digital Platform) and developed our own crowdsource analytics and dashboard empowered by our BI and AI Platforms. Accordingly, we have revamped our costumer experience framework. 

The result is outstanding! By integrating the tool and Crowdsource Analytics, we will be able to: 

Engage customers proactively and personalize offers in retaining customers. 

Increase in Average Success Rate (ASR) of CX network complaint resolution by 75%.  

Introduce Solution for 6 x CX Use Case. 

Introduce Service CEI Dashboard for B2B partners and report network experience summary to B2B Customers 

Map RAN network signal strength, quality, and coverage. The data helps us to identify indoor areas with poor coverage. The framework removed drive/walk test and end user interaction dependency. 

Monitor Service Performance of Top Protocols & TOP OTTs. Fix Problematic components of cloud Architecture. 

Different Dimensional (9 quadrant) Cell Segregation for Next best Action to enhance Customer experience. 

Network performance analysis with advanced QoS, along with Traditional KPI/KQI. 

Thanks Team Banglalink, Team Huawei, Masum Akond, Hasnat Reza Mahbub Alam, Iftekar Ibne Zaman, Dewan Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Shehab Raihan, Md. Ashraf Uddin, Md. Ashraful Islam, Faisal Islam, AQM Faisal Khan, Md. Wasim Azad, and Zahid Ibna Siraz.  

News

The fine is the second the company has received related to poor emergency services call handling this year. Back in February, an outage that lasted 12 hours blocked 92 million phone calls. 

AT&T has agreed to pay a $950,000 fine to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after an investigation found it had failed to deliver emergency 911 calls during an August 2023 outage. 

The outage, which lasted for 1 hour and 14 minutes, affected parts of Illinois, Kansas, Texas, and Wisconsin, resulting in over 400 failed 911 calls. 

As well as failing to deliver the calls, the FCC’s investigation revealed that AT&T did not notify the affected emergency call centers quickly enough.  

The outage occurred during the testing of AT&T’s 911 network, when a contracted technician inadvertently disabled a part of the network. AT&T’s system did not automatically adjust, which led to the disruption. 

As part of the settlement, AT&T will implement a three-year compliance plan to ensure it will adhere to the FCC’s 911 and outage notification rules, which aim to prevent similar incidents and improve the reliability of emergency call services.  

“We understand the importance of having critical access to 911. We’ve resolved this matter and are committed to keeping our customers connected in times they need it most,” an AT&T spokesperson said. 

The FCC is already investigating an additional AT&T outage that occurred in February this year. The outage impacted 125 million devices in all 50 states, and prevented 25,000 calls to 911 call centres. 

The FCC concluded in July that the outage was caused by an employee who misconfigured a single network element.  

AT&T said it has implemented the necessary changes, adding that it “fell short of the standards that we hold ourselves to, and we regret that we failed to meet the expectations of our customers and the public safety community.” 

Failure to adequately support emergency services is not just a US problem. In the UK, regulator Ofcom fined BT £17.5 million last month for technical faults which caused 14,000 emergency calls to be missed over an 11-hour period last summer. Ofcom also ordered measures be introduced to prevent reoccurrence. 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter 

Also in the news:
Meet our Top 20 Telco AI Champions!
Are AI and Sustainability Compatible?
Singtel partners with Bridge Alliance to boost GPUaaS offering

News

Last week’s wholesale deal has divided opinions on what the future holds for the UK’s broadband market 

In the wake of last week’s news in which Sky and CityFibre announced a long-term partnership, various reports were published suggesting the deal would be a challenge for the UK incumbent BT. 

Indeed, after the announcement, BT’s share price plunged 8% and £1 billion was reportedly wiped off the company’s balance sheet, which could highlight the threat that altnets pose to the UK broadband market. 

The FT has suggested, however, that the new deal “complements, rather than replaces, its existing arrangement with BT’s Openreach network,” noting that the deal extends Sky’s availability to areas currently not served by Openreach and does not appear to involve a large-scale shift of Sky’s existing customers over to CityFibre’s network. 

Speaking to the Telegraph, Graeme Oxby, Chief Executive of Community Fibre, echoed this sentiment, confirming that he “did not buy into” the claims that the deal would be “devastating” for BT. 

The problem with the altnets, as the FT points out, is that their entrance to the market was in part facilitated by BT’s “slowcoach approach to fibre rollout”. This factor was highlighted last week by Quickline CEO Sean Royce, who in an exclusive interview with Total Telecom, said BT was too “distracted with BT Sport and buying EE” to focus on its fibre build, which allowed the altnets to seize that opportunity. More recently, however, Openreach’s full fibre rollout has accelerated, now covering 46% of UK premises and on track to reach 76% by 2026. This means a higher level of direct competition between Openreach and the altnet community, putting the latter under major pressure to find a path to profitability.  

While the UK altnets combined account for around 13 million premises passed with full fibre, compared to Openreach’s 15 million, individually their reach is much smaller. CityFibre is by far the largest altnet, having passed 3.8 million premises. 

Overall, while the CityFibre–Sky deal is unlikely to be a major headache for BT and Openreach, it does represent a vote of confidence for the altnets – at least the larger ones. 

 “We think there’s quite a lot of interest from the bigger ISPs [internet service providers] to migrate from Openreach to other full-fibre providers when they can,” said Oxby. 

“That certainly seems to be the dynamic… that desire to have sometimes a better service but certainly a lower unit price and therefore higher margins, that allows them to compete and grow. I think it is a really important dynamic.” 

Join Community Fibre at next months’ Connected Britain, 11-12 September in London. Get discounted last minute tickets here! 

Also in the news:
Meet our Top 20 Telco AI Champions!
Are AI and Sustainability Compatible?
Singtel partners with Bridge Alliance to boost GPUaaS offering

A new alternative network operator called Solas Fibre has revealed that they’re planning to deploy a 1Gbps capable full fibre broadband ISP network across mostly rural parts of Wales, the North-West and North-East of England, and Scotland. But the details are currently quite limited.

The plan was revealed as part of the company’s application for Code Powers from Ofcom. Such powers are typically sought to help speed-up deployments of new fibre and cut costs, not least by reducing the number of licenses needed for street works. The powers can also help with supporting access to run new fibre via Openreach’s (BT) existing cable ducts and poles (PIA), which is something Solas Fibre have indicated they may harness.

Launching a new altnet into such an overcrowded market, which is also under some considerable strain due to high builds costs and high interest rates, is quite a risky endeavour. But that doesn’t seem to be discouraging Solas Fibre, which was only incorporated in London on 19th March 2024 (here).

The company currently has two Northern Ireland based Directors – Gareth Hughes and David Williams, both of which appear to have some background in telecoms, consultancy and civil engineering via previous companies.

Extract from Ofcom’s Code Powers Request

The Applicant is a new venture which seeks Code powers to facilitate the deployment of superfast and ultrafast broadband internet services. particularly to the most rural of areas.

The Applicant intends to roll out gigabit capable primarily in Wales, the North-West and North-East of England, and Scotland.

The Applicant has stated that the locations will be rural and semi-rural within which it will reach customers in highway, private roads, multi dwelling units, multi-business units, private roads, amongst others.

The Applicant will sell its services to business and consumers and speeds offered to customers will be varied as 100mb; 500mb and 1Gb.

We were able to find a GoDaddy hosted holding website for the service, but otherwise there’s no further detail about their exact plans or the level of funding involved.

Press Release

Sunderland City Council announces launch of a new ‘Sunderland App’ – a free tool designed to help residents and visitors to easily find their way round the city, access special offers with local retailers, cafes and restaurants, and make the most of everything Sunderland and the wider city has to offer.

Dozens of independent restaurants, cafes and shops have signed up to the new Sunderland App, which offers residents and visitors a portable guide to city life.

Developed by local agency Komodo Digital, the free app helps individuals to explore the city by providing exclusive offers and information on exciting activities and events right at their fingertips on their smart phone.

The app is securely hosted by Boldyn Networks, Sunderland’s smart city partner and thanks to superfast connectivity across Sunderland city centre and seafront, and free outdoor public Wi-Fi provided by Boldyn Networks, it’s easier than ever to get online and explore the new app.

Customers can claim discounts and plan days out at many of Sunderland’s venues and shops by downloading the new free app, which offers access to many exciting experiences and activities that Sunderland has to offer – making it easier to shop, eat and explore the city.

Key features of the Sunderland App:

Unlock exclusive offers: Access special deals and vouchers from local shops, cafes, restaurants and businesses offering a range of activities.
Fun for all the family: Discover family-friendly places to eat, attractions to visit and ideas for days out tailored to your interests.
Discover events and attractions: Stay up-to-date about local events, arts and cultural attractions with comprehensive listings. You can even save your favourite entertainment venues and bookmark upcoming events on the app.
Dining and days out: Easily find restaurant menus and nearby amenities to plan your perfect day or evening in Sunderland.
Find your way around: Use interactive maps to navigate the city and get directions.
A more personalised experience: Manage your interests and personal details securely within the app to receive tailored recommendations.

Cllr Beth Jones, portfolio holder for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “Seeing so many local businesses sign up to provide deals and offers on our new Sunderland App is truly fantastic.

“This collaboration not only showcases the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of our city but also provides incredible value for our residents and visitors. It’s a win-win situation that strengthens our local economy and enhances the Sunderland experience for everyone.”

Ken Newby was delighted to be one of the first to trial the app as part of the Sunderland App User Group. He said: “The Sunderland App is a great idea! Putting lots of information all in one place and making it easy to access is going to help people to find new things to see and do, as well as helping local businesses to promote themselves.

“In fact, I’ve just seen something around the corner from my home that I didn’t even know existed, and it’s going straight on my list to visit.”

Liz St Louis, director of smart cities and enabling services at Sunderland City Council, added: “This innovative app reflects our commitment to harnessing the power of technology to create a more connected, informed and vibrant smart city.

“With the new Sunderland App you can experience new activities across Sunderland, and save money, all from the palm of your hand. From quickly finding cafes, restaurants and exclusive offers at local shops, to discovering things to see and do in and around the city; the Sunderland App is your ultimate guide to life in the city, and it’s completely free to download on your mobile phone or tablet.”

Tom Wood, design director at KOMODO, said: “As a resident of the North East and someone deeply connected to the region, it was a privilege to work on the design direction for this app. It’s incredible to be part of Sunderland’s smart city journey.

“I’m proud to be part of a project that not only enhances the way we explore and experience Sunderland today but will continue to evolve and grow with the community over time.

“This smart city app marks an important first step in connecting the community with what Sunderland has to offer — from local attractions to cultural events — all in one place.”

You can download and use the free app now to access offers, discover the city’s vibrant culture and plan plenty of fun with friends and family. Search for ‘Sunderland App’ on the app store or Google Play.

Sunderland City Council are finalists for the Community Improvement category at this years Connected Britain Awards. The winners will be named at 18:20 on the 11 September 2024 on the Connected Britain keynote stage – get your tickets at totaltele.com/connectedbritain 

The complete shortlist for the Community Improvement Award is:

BeFibre
Cefnogi’ community engagement programme
Coventry City Council – #CovConnects
Commsworld and SmartSTEMs: Inspiring The Next Generation
Fibrus
Sunderland City Council – Digital Inclusion Programme supported by Boldyn Networks

News

The £28.75 million initiative has seen 55 new 4G masts deployed in hard-to-reach areas across the country

The Scottish government has published an evaluation of the recently completed Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI).

The S4GI, devised back in 2017, was aimed at deploying 4G LTE connectivity to not-spots across Scotland that were unlikely to be covered by private sector rollout programmes. The programme was backed by £28.75 million, £10 million of which was provided by the European Regional Development Fund.

In 2018, the Scottish government appointed WHP Telecom to deliver the project and the infrastructure provider has been gradually deploying the required infrastructure in partnership with the various mobile network operators ever since.

In their evaluation, the Scottish government showed that 55 new telecoms masts had been erected in rural areas, delivering 4G connectivity to 2,211 homes and businesses.

Of those 55 masts, 51 are served by EE, 1 by Three, and 3 jointly Vodafone and Virgin Media O2.

EE is the sole provider on 35 masts, while EE, Vodafone, and VMO2 are all available on 16 masts.

“Although Telecoms responsibility is reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Government has long recognised the vital importance of good digital connectivity – both for work, for business and for day-to-day life,” said Tom Arthur, SG Employment and Investment Minister in a statement. “S4GI is an excellent example of strategic investment delivering multiple benefits. This is about creating opportunities for businesses, improving daily life and ensuring no one – even the hardest to reach – is left behind in the digital era.”

Overall, the government’s research suggests that the S4GI has dramatically improved connectivity and reduced the digital divide in selected areas. However, it also found that some people and businesses continue to experience difficulties in mobile connectivity, both in terms of coverage and lack of operator choice.

In short, there is still much more work to be done when it comes to covering Scotland with quality mobile connectivity.

“The availability of 4G services has proven to be transformational for residents and businesses in these 55 areas included as part of the programme, and we are sharing the lessons learned through months of complex build and collaboration with the UK Government so that they may benefit the ongoing rollout of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme,” added Arthur.

The SRN is a £1 billion private-public partnership aimd at extending 4G coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of 2025 by deploying additional infrastructure.

In January, EE announced it had completed its portion of the first stage of the SRN ahead of schedule, largely through upgrading its existing infrastructure. Three, Vodafone, and VMO2, on the other hand, have said that they will not meet their rollout targets and have asked the government for more time.

Is the UK telecoms industry doing enough to extend connectivity to the hardest-to-reach areas of the country? Join the discussion at Connected Britain 2024, taking place in just two weeks time!

Also in the news:
Meet our Top 20 Telco AI Champions!
Are AI and Sustainability Compatible?
Singtel partners with Bridge Alliance to boost GPUaaS offering