Vodafone UK Launch Project to Bring 3G Mobile to Remote Rural Pubs

Mobile operator Vodafone and Pub is The Hub have today launched a new Rural Community Pub programme, which aims to bring decent indoor 3G mobile voice and data (mobile broadband) services to digitally isolated rural pubs.

Sadly some rural communities and pubs struggle to receive decent mobile coverage, which can be due to a number of factors like the extreme geographic nature of the area, difficulties with local planning permission or the absence of a fixed fibre connection required to link a mobile mast back to the core network infrastructure.

By comparison the pilot scheme, which is being deployed to two rural pubs in Norfolk and one each in Dyfed and Flintshire in Wales, is really just a deployment of the operator’s existing Premium Sure Signal (femtocell) device. The kit works by harnessing the pubs existing fixed line broadband connection and then using that to boost its local mobile signal.

Jorge Fernandes, Vodafone UK CTO, said:

“We are delighted to be able to help these rural pubs extend and broaden the vital range of services they provide to the communities they serve through the use of the latest mobile technology. Pubs up and down the UK are key to the economic and social well-being of rural communities and the country. By combining our innovative programmes, such as Rural Community Pubs and ROSS, with our current network improvement programme, we are calling time on no rural mobile coverage.”

The Cross Keys in Dilham, Norfolk and The Mermaid Inn in Elsing, Norfolk are already enjoying the technology, whilst the Blue Bell, Halkyn in Flintshire and The Royal Oak, Rhandirmwyn, Llandovery, Dyfed are expected to go live in the next few months.

Mind you this approach is only any good if the pub can actually get a reasonable fixed line broadband service and one of the problems with rural areas is that this isn’t always possible, which has also caused a few delays in Vodafone’s wider / related Rural Open Sure Signal (ROSS100) project (here).