50 UK Gov Funded 4G Mobile Rural Mast Upgrades Now Live in Scotland

The UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has today revealed that 50 publicly funded rural 4G (mobile broadband) mast upgrades have now gone live in Scotland as part of the industry-led £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) project – providing coverage from EE, O2 and VodafoneThree (Vodafone and Three UK) across more than 1,900 sq km.

The SRN – originally supported by a commitment of £501m in public funding and £532m of private investment from operators – involves both the reciprocal sharing of existing UK masts in certain areas and the demand-led building and sharing of new masts in others between the operators.

Most of the early work on the SRN involved private investment from the main mobile network operators, although over the past few years we’ve also seen government-funded mast upgrades and new site builds taking place in other parts of the country. A total of over 140 mast upgrades have now gone live across the UK, including the 50 in Scotland.

The 50th mast in Scotland was activated near the remote West Highland settlement of Branault on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Some of the other recent masts to go live in Scotland include destinations such as the Isles of Arran, Islay and Jura, Dukes Pass in Trossachs National Park and Tarbert on the Kintyre 66 route.

UK Telecoms Minister, Liz Lloyd, said:

“Scotland’s mountains, islands and remote rural communities have made it one of the hardest places in the UK to deliver reliable mobile coverage – but our investment is helping to change that.

By switching on dozens more 4G masts through the Shared Rural Network, we are tackling long-standing blackspots and giving more people across rural Scotland the coverage they need to stay in touch, run businesses and get help in an emergency.”

Kirsty McNeill, UK Government Minister for Scotland, said:

“Reaching 50 UK Government-funded masts in Scotland is a milestone for rural communities who have put up with poor or non-existent mobile signal for too long.

From the islands of Arran, Islay and Jura to the Trossachs and beyond, this investment is making a practical difference to people’s lives, whether that’s running a business, keeping in touch with loved ones, or getting help quickly in an emergency.

The Shared Rural Network is delivering for Scotland, and we’re not stopping here.”

The project is currently focused on tackling the second and final target to reduce Total Not-Spot (TNS) areas by January 2027. Around 33 additional mast upgrade sites are still expected to be deployed before completion.

Current SRN 4G Geographic Coverage Progress (June 2026)

List of Scotland’s 50 SRN 4G Mast Upgrade Sites

1 Lockerbie – Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
2 Ettrick Valley – Berwickshie, Roxburgh and Selkirk
3 Ayrshire – Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
4 Crosslee – Selkirk, Scottish Borders
5 Duns – Scottish Borders
6 Kelso – Roxburghshire
7 Lockerbie – Dumfries & Galloway
8 Campbeltown – Argyll and Bute
9 West Buccleuch – Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
10 Acharacle – Argyll and Bute
11 Southend, Campbeltown – Argyll and Bute
12 A849, Isle of Mull – Argyll and Bute
13 Minor road from A848, near Salen, Isle of Mull
14 Brechin – Angus and Perthshire Glens
15 Forestry Track of A890 Strome Ferry near Kyle of Lochalsh – Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
16 Bothwell Hill – Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
17 Tundergarth – Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
18 Girvan – South Ayrshire
19 Kirriemuir – Angus
20 Newton Stewart – Dumfries and Galloway
21 Duns – Lothian East
22 Land off B8007, Near Glenborrodale – Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
23 Off B8083, Srathaird, near Elgol – Isle of Skye
24 Langburn Sheils, Hawick – Roxburghshire
25 Strathconnan – Muir of Ord
26 Camas-Luinie – Near Dornie
27 Lammermuir – Scottish Borders
28 Off B955, Kirriemuir – Angus,
29 Near Dykehead – Angus
30 Innerleithen – Scottish Borders
31 Tarskavaig – Isle of Skye
32 Near Heriot – Scottish Borders
33 Kinlochspelve – Isle of Mull
34 Southend, Campbeltown – Argyll & Bute
35 Land at Bunessan – Isle of Mull
36 Near Kingie, Glen Garry, PH35 4HS – Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
37 Torrin – Isle of Skye
38 Isle of Jura – Argyll & Bute
39 Jedburgh , Roxburghshire
40 Isle of Jura, Argyll & Bute,
41 Strathcarron – Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
42 Barr – Ayrshire
43 Kelsay – Isle of Islay
44 Newcastleton – Roxburghshire
45 Tarbert – Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
46 Dukes Pass – Stirling
47 Loch Muick – West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
48 Strathconon, Contin – Ross-shire
49 Sliddery, Arran – North Ayrshire
50 Branault, West Ardnamurchan