GBP150m Mobile Network Upgrade Connects First UK Community

The Government’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has confirmed that the first community to benefit from its £150m Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP) to improve Mobile Broadband and phone coverage will be the rural village of Weaverthorpe in North Yorkshire (England).

The MIP was established as part of the recent 4G (LTE) auction (800MHz and 2.6GHz) and is intended to help build new mobile masts to cover those who live in areas of poor or non-existent service, which should benefit around 60,000 premises and help to ensure that Mobile Broadband services become available to “at least” 98% of UK people by the end of 2015 (note: the original target was 2017).

Ed Vaizey, Communications Minister, said:

“We are now delivering mobile coverage to small communities thanks to the government’s investment in our digital infrastructure. For the first time, these small, rural communities will enjoy the benefits of mobile phones that the rest of us take for granted.”

Arqiva, which won the contract to build out the network, has already revealed a vague roll-out plan and announced that the first sites to benefit should “go live” by the end of 2013; these include locations in Cornwall, Northumberland, Strabane, Aberdeenshire and Powys (here).