UK 4G coverage not up to scratch

The new report has called for an end to ‘digital deserts’ in the UK and the need for the government to ensure that the emergence of 5G does not bring with it the same failures that have plagued 4G.

In response to the report, Ian Langley, VP & GM at Cobham Wireless, commented: “Mobile coverage is now considered by many as the fourth utility – people want it and expect it, anytime and everywhere they go. However, the reality is that in the UK, many people cannot get the mobile coverage they need to connect them to the mobile service that they rely on. This does not only just block us from communicating with our friends and family, it also has direct implications for the economy, cutting people off from the business applications that they need to stay productive.

“Many commuters face the daily reality of having to travel in overcrowded train carriages with either very little or no coverage. With train prices set to go up by an average of 2.7% from 2nd January 2017, it is within the right of commuters to expect unfaltering 4G coverage on their routes, so that they can work and communicate as they would in the office or home.

“With our major cities, roads and large parts of rural Britain void of reliable connectivity, it is clear that something must be done to fix the various ‘not spots’ across the country. Coverage and capacity enhancement solutions designed to solve this issue already exist, but are not deployed as universally as required. To solve this problem requires collaboration between legislators, operators and facilities managers to ensure a coherent strategy is put in place to solve the not spot issue once and for all.”