Mobile phone coverage in the spotlight at high-level meeting in Shropshire

Today Shropshire MPs, Councillors, and senior officers at Shropshire Council met mobile network operators to hear how plans are progressing to improve mobile phone signal coverage in the county

Poor mobile phone coverage in Shropshire is a key issue for many people, especially those in more isolated places where having a workable mobile phone signal is critical. This is the latest in a series of meetings where the mobile network operators are being challenged locally to make good on the government’s coverage obligation that requires them to provide 90% of the geographic UK with access to a voice and data voice service by the end of December 2017.

Since the last meeting in January, the mobile network operators have reviewed their plans and confirmed their intention to provide additional infrastructure in a number of areas across Shropshire with specific focus on some of the more challenging rural areas that suffer most with poor phone signals. Planning applications are expected to be submitted in the early part of the summer for some of this work.

All Shropshire MPs have stated their commitment to support the recently announced planning policy changes which include raised mast heights that will provide the benefits of increasing the coverage area and reducing the number of new masts required.

A representative from the Local Government Association also attended the session to provide an update on work to map digital connectivity in the country and see Shropshire Council as a leading authority in proactively engaging with the mobile network operators.

Councillor Steve Charmley said:

“Today’s meeting was very positive and the mobile network operators now appear to be more willing to work with us to improve the situation for Shropshire businesses and residents than previously. Rather than talking about what they might do in the future, they’re now actually taking some action. We will continue to work with Ofcom to ensure the providers are delivering what they claim.

 

“One of my other areas of responsibility is broadband and I’d like to announce that Shropshire Council intends to carry out an open market review of broadband provision in the early summer. This is a formal precursor to the planned procurement of superfast broadband coverage, which will be funded by the £11.7m that we have available from Broadband Delivery UK and the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership*.”

* £5.02m from the Local Growth Fund and £6.68m from balance of BDUK phase 2 funds (£11.38m)