1st SRN Total Not Spot site goes live
November 12, 2024
The first publicly funded Shared Rural Network (SRN) Total Not Spot site has been switched on. The new site delivers 4G to areas that previously had no mobile broadband coverage from any operator. The development provides 4G coverage from all UK mobile operators, significantly enhancing connectivity for residents, businesses, and tourists.
The mast on South Uist provides mobile broadband to people living and working in the villages of Balivanich, Grimsay, Liniclate, across almost the entirety of Benbecula, to more than 30km of the A865 and many kilometres of other smaller roads and tracks. Whether visiting Ushenish Lighthouse, walking The Hebridean Way or wildlife watching around the lochs, visitors to this part of the Outer Hebrides now have access to reliable 4G for the first time. In addition, seafarers and fishermen passing through and working in The Little Minch between South Uist and Skye will also benefit.
The mast was built by Virgin Media O2 and will deliver commercial coverage from all four operators, including EE, Three and Vodafone.
Telecoms Minister, Chris Bryant, commented: “For too long, island communities in Scotland have struggled to get online while on the go. This milestone for the Shared Rural Network means vast swathes of Uist are now covered by 4G for the first time, boosting productivity for local businesses and safety for those in remote areas. South Uist is the first location to benefit from this new phase of the programme, which targets areas with no 4G coverage at all. We will continue to work with the mobile network operators to maximise the benefits of this rollout for local communities while preserving areas of natural beauty.”
Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited which represents the four major mobile operators, said: “This site shows what can be achieved when industry, government and local stakeholders work together. Making good 4G coverage available wherever people choose to be across the UK, underpins the Shared Rural Network programme. This site going live builds on the incredible achievement of the mobile operators hitting their industry-funded coverage targets.”
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, added: “We are extremely proud to continue our industry-leading work which is bringing reliable mobile coverage to rural communities across the UK for the very first time. This new site in South Uist, which will bring mobile signal to local residents, major roads and visitor attractions which were previously disconnected, illustrates how the total not spot programme can transform lives when we invest in the right locations. Targeted investment like this will provide the greatest benefit to consumers, help close the rural/urban divide and deliver growth across the country.”
The four mobile network operators continue work to minimise the number of new masts required and now expect to meet the programme’s objectives with far fewer sites than originally planned. Feedback from communities and special interest groups plays an important role in agreeing the best locations for new infrastructure, and the mobile network operators and Government are working with stakeholders across Scotland to ensure the benefits of new sites are balanced with any environmental impacts and other concerns.
The SRN – a programme brokered by the Government and joint-funded with mobile network operators to improve mobile coverage in rural areas – has already delivered new 4G coverage to an additional 30,000 square kilometres, an area twice the size of Northern Ireland. The programme addresses long-standing connectivity challenges in rural areas by ensuring reliable mobile coverage from all our operators, EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone.
Through the SRN programme, the Government and the UK’s four mobile network operators aim to provide 4G coverage to an additional 280,000 premises and 16,000km of the UK’s roads.