Mobile operator EE (BT) has revealed that their 4G based mobile network now covers 94% of all roads in Great Britain, which is said to be the equivalent of 322,000 miles. The news comes after Ofcom revealed (here) that EE had the strongest UK 4G geographic (landmass) coverage of 85%, but this is up just 1% from last year.
Overall, in 2020, EE have so far built a total of 160 new 4G sites (masts etc.), including 92 in Scotland, 43 in England, and 25 in Wales. The operator has also expanded its 4G coverage footprint in every national park in Great Britain this year, with more than 69% of the total area now covered.
We should point out that the new £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme will, over the next five years, help all four of the major network operators to increase their combined geographic 4G mobile coverage up to 95% of the United Kingdom (it will also help the 5G rollout). This will be done by sharing new and existing mast infrastructure.
Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer Business, said:
“Having access to a resilient and reliable mobile network has never been more important. Our 4G network covers more of the UK’s geography than any other, and we’re continuing to invest in it right across the UK to keep our customers connected and bring coverage to rural areas for the very first time. 4G forms the basis of our award-winning 5G network, and with this investment we’ll be able to roll out the latest mobile technology to even more parts of the UK.”
All of this is good progress, but we haven’t forgotten that EE originally pledged a few years ago to extend geographic (landmass) 4G network coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of December 2020 and they haven’t quite achieved that (EE’s own geographic data last put the figure at above 91%).
That’s great. They’ve been making an effort to get more places covered in Wales, England, Scotland.
Whilst they might cover more than other networks, backhaul in some places is still poor which means you might have a decent signal but can’t use it – coastal areas in Cornwall suffer from that problem
Great!, i’ll go and sit in a layby!, meanwhile in a Town where I rely on it – its like dial up.
I live in Laybys and it’s not all peaches and cream!
I found another Three 5G site with no EE in site – bah 🙁
Great, ideal for downloading and streaming that 4k movie whilst driving.
Concentrating on the rail networks would be a plus.
Completely agree. Obviously a mobile signal is useful while driving (e.g. streaming mapping, routing, and traffic data from Google Maps) but realistically fast speeds are much easier to use on trains than in cars.
I think people are forgetting that EEs network is supplying new emergency service communications platform, and the fact that 4G Voice service on 800mhz band has a great and more reliable coverage that 2G sitting at 1800mhz.
Please please help me
I wish someone would cover the 30 something miles between Luton and St Pancras. I loose my mobile signal all the time, and data is almost useless. Working on the train is impossible. Still, in 2020. I’ve tried all the major networks too. I even thought at one point to make some little raspberry pi router with o2/ee/three/vodafone 4G dongles connected and use whichever one is available to route my internet, at least then maybe i could work..but from my opensignal tests all the networks lose the connection at some point throughout that 30 mins journey. Incredible. I wonder if things will improve with 5G because I see them asking permission to install a lot of new antennas. Let’s hope so.
I know what you mean, Randy.
Specifically that awful stretch from West Hampstead Thameslink through to Farringdon.
It’s worst around Kentish Town and St Pancras itself. I’m amazed how they haven’t put 4G on the platforms or tunnels.