21% miss out on 4G cover
CAMPAIGNERS CALL ON MAJOR NETWORKS TO AVOID ‘DIGITAL WILDERNESS’
targets to force the mobile phone networks to extend 4G coverage.
It said that mobile phone operators were letting rural areas become “a digital wilderness”.
CLA senior economic adviser, Dr Charles Trotman, said: “State-of-the-art coverage will improve productivity of businesses and make them far more profitable.”
Dr Trotman explained that the CLA’s aim is to push for comprehensive and reliable 4G coverage from all four major mobile networks – EE, 3, Virgin and O2.
“Our objective is universal coverage,” he said. “But everything is predicated on the operators themselves to put the infrastructure in place.
“We need to incentivise all operators to branch out, to give consumers more market choice and avoid localised monopolies.”
Ofcom has proposed introducing obligations that require networks to deliver better quality indoor coverage.
An Ofcom spokesman said: “We agree mobile coverage must improve, particularly in rural communities, and we’re working with the Government and the industry to support this.
“We want mobile companies to extend their networks as a priority, and we’ve announced plans to make them increase coverage for rural areas as we release more airwaves next year.”