Wales worst in Britain for 4G network signal
MOBILE phone users in Wales can only connect to 4G connections 35% of the time, according to new analysis.
The rate is just half that of users of the fast mobile connection in London – and researchers have said providers need to do “much more” to improve their networks.
While mobile users in London can access a 4G signal 69.7% of the time, people in Wales – which is the worst region for accessibility in the UK – can only connect 35.4% of the time, consumer group Which? and independent mobile coverage analyst OpenSignal found.
The second best area in the UK for 4G access is Yorkshire and Humberside, where mobile users can connect 61.3% of the time.
But, although London is the best area for 4G connections, it has the lowest average for 4G download speeds of all of the 12 UK regions in the study.
The average download speed in London is 18.8Mbps compared with Northern Ireland’s 23.3Mbps.
The North East is the second worst area in the UK for 4G download speeds with an average of 20.1Mbps.
A performance review of providers Three, EE, O2 and Vodafone by OpenSignal ranked EE the best for both 4G speed and accessibility.
Three was the worst performer, with users only able to access 4G on average 44% of the time.
Which? managing director of home and legal Alex Neill said: “This latest research confirms that the rest of the UK is lagging behind London when it comes to accessing 4G signals. It’s clear mobile providers must do much more to improve their networks if they are to provide greater access to their customers.”
Brendan Gill, the chief executive and co-founder of OpenSignal, said: “There was a lot of good revealed in our data about UK operators. Mobile data speeds, both 4G and overall, were consistently fast in our tests throughout the country.
“But there definitely are still some areas in which the UK needs to improve. Finding a 4G signal outside of London can still be a bit tricky.”
Earlier this year Ofcom said Cardiff had some of the best 4G signal coverage in the UK.
In its Connected Nations report the regulator said 95% of buildings in the capital could receive a good 4G signal from the four main network providers.
Denbighshire was rated the worst for 4G signal with no buildings able to receive a good signal from all four major networks.
Last year 46% of premises in the UK were covered by all four main operators for 4G coverage, according to Ofcom.
OpenSignal and Which? examined 500m tests conducted by more than 28,000 smartphone users between June 1 and August 31.