Bin Lorries to Survey Mobile Coverage Across Glasgow City Region

Network analyst firm Streetwave has been contracted to conduct a huge survey of mobile broadband network (4G, 5G) coverage, using bin lorries, which will this time focus on 8 council areas within Scotland’s Glasgow City Region – including North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, and East Renfrewshire.

The past year has seen Streetwave harnessing waste (bin / refuse) collection lorries to map mobile network / broadband coverage and speeds across various parts of the UK, particularly Wales (here, here, here, here and here) and some other parts of Scotland (here). In this setup, refuse trucks are installed with several off-the-shelf Smartphones using software from Streetwave on top, which run continuous network tests (once every 20 metres in rural areas and 5m in urban areas) as the vehicles go about their routes.

The approach is rapidly proving to be quite a cost-effective and accurate way of examining localised mobile network coverage and performance, which is often more useful than the vague estimates of network coverage produced by the mobile operators themselves. Portable data collection units will also be used in Glasgow during foot surveys in the city centre and at key stadiums (both at peak times and during major events).

However, as well as providing a general performance map for residents and businesses to check (due to be rolled out at a later date, after the data is collected), the study can also be used to identify any areas that might require additional intervention in order to improve. On top of that, it can show how mobile broadband performance changes over time in specific areas, which helps to identify seasonal weak spots (e.g. tourism).

Kevin Rush, Director of Regional Economic Growth, said:

“This is the biggest network mapping project of its kind in Scotland – so it goes without saying that it’s a hugely exciting one to be part of.

The data collected will serve a dual purpose. Firstly, it will help businesses identify the most effective connectivity solutions for their operations, empowering them to make informed decisions that enhance their productivity and competitiveness.

Secondly, it will enable the partnership to lobby mobile operators more effectively, advocating for necessary improvements in digitally excluded communities to benefit residents and businesses alike.

Being connected has never been more important and this project will give the partnership and, most importantly, the people and businesses throughout the City Region the tools they need to ensure they are getting the best possible service.”

The initiative has already begun in Inverclyde and is due to be rolled out, on a rotational basis (over the coming weeks and months), to North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, and East Renfrewshire. Inverclyde Councillor, Paul Cassidy, said: “It’s exciting for Inverclyde to be leading the way with this initiative by becoming the first Glasgow City Region council to install the data gathering equipment in our bin lorries and we look forward to seeing the results and feeding into the wider project.”

The work itself is part of the Glasgow City Region Smart and Connected Social Places programme. It is funded through the UK Government Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) 5G Innovation Regions programme and is being delivered by connectivity solutions providers Streetwave and Commsworld.