May 31, 2019 3.50 pm This story is over 58 months old

Council backs calls for better rural phone coverage

Many areas in the county “simply don’t have adequate mobile coverage and that needs to change.”
The development site is close to the village of Welton and just a few minutes drive from the centre of Lincoln. Photo: Jack Harland, R&R Studio

Lincolnshire County Council is backing calls for a better mobile network in rural locations.

The local authority has written to Ofcom supporting proposals for the creation of a new organisation of UK mobile operators.

It would enable better sharing of infrastructure between mobile providers and help improve coverage in rural locations.

While the council is vying for better coverage, a new much faster 5G is being rolled out in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham and Manchester.

Councillor Richard Davies, from Lincolnshire County Council, has written to the chief executive of Ofcom Sharon White.

He said: “At the moment, many of our rural areas simply don’t have adequate mobile coverage and that needs to change.

“We realise that the size and rurality of our county can sometimes discourage these commercial businesses from investing in infrastructure – this new partnership can help change that.

“We’re keen to work closely with the operators to improve connectivity locally, ensuring our residents can enjoy the same benefits as those in more urban areas.

“To that end, we fully support this move and urge Ofcom to look favourably upon the scheme.”