Ofcom report says 4G mobile coverage patchy in Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

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Mobile phone coverage in Scotland lags behind other parts of the UK, according to the communications regulator.

A report from Ofcom indicates that only 38% of the landmass has good 4G coverage from all operators - while 82% of England is covered.

Access to superfast broadband by other means, however, has improved and is now available to 92% of premises.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) called for stronger action to improve Scottish mobile coverage.

The Scottish government has committed to extending superfast broadband to all premises by 2021, and is investing 拢600m in improved connectivity.

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Ofcom notes there are challenges in delivering this, with many rural customers a long distance from exchanges, but it said some progress had been made.

Among the findings of its annual report were:

  • Superfast broadband is now available to 92% of Scottish premises, up from 87% last year
  • Only 40% of customers have signed up to these available superfast connections
  • 4% of premises in Scotland still cannot access a decent fixed broadband service
  • Over the last year coverage of ultrafast broadband offering speeds up to 300 Mbit/s rose from 30% to 44%

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Ofcom said customers' expectations of mobile coverage were rising

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The regulator found less progress when it came to mobile services:

  • 38% of Scotland's landmass has good 4G coverage from all operators compared with the UK average of 66%
  • 4G mobile coverage from at least one operator is available in 78% of the landmass
  • Just over half of Scotland can receive voice services from all four operators, up from 39% in June 2017

Ofcom said it would attach binding coverage rules for mobile operators when it auctions off two new frequency spectrums.

Philip Marnick, Ofcom's spectrum group director, said: "Mobile coverage has improved across the UK this year, but too many people and businesses are still struggling for a signal. We're particularly concerned about mobile reception in rural areas.

"As we release new airwaves for mobile, we're planning rules that would extend good mobile coverage to where it's needed. That will help ensure that rural communities have the kind of mobile coverage that people expect in towns and cities, reducing the digital divide."

'Long-standing problem'

The Federation of Small Businesses said it was wrong that customers in Scotland faced an inferior mobile service, despite paying the same charges as elsewhere in the UK.

Andrew McRae, the FSB's Scotland policy chairman, said: "While it is good to see Ofcom note that this is unsatisfactory, we need to see action from them, the UK government and mobile operators to address this long-standing problem.

"On the other hand, this publication also underlines that Scotland is making good progress on superfast broadband provision, though we still lag both England and Wales.

"We strongly support the Scottish government's ambition on this front, though we would underline that expectations amongst communities and firms are very high and they must deliver."