THREE OF the UK’s four major mobile phone networks have met the 3G coverage targets set by the Government, according to a report by regulator Ofcom.
A study by the communications watchdog found only Vodafone failed to reach an obligation to ensure 90% of the UK’s population had access to its high-speed mobile internet service by the end of June this year.
It fell 1.4% short of the requirement, while rivals EE, Three and O2 exceeded their commitments.
The news comes despite frequent complaints from those in rural and more remote areas including vast swathes of Perthshire, the Angus Glens and parts of coastal Fife over the quality of the service they receive.
And Ofcom’s own statistics show how national household coverage targets do not always equate to effective local services in Scotland’s most sparsely-populated areas.
The regulator’s 2013 mobile services map shows that more than 99% of UK homes have access to the 3G network through at least one operator, but prove the statistics do not translate into widespread geographical coverage.
It reveals 88% of homes in the Perth and Kinross local authority area have access to 3G, but the signal covers only 41% of the region by geography.
Equivalent figures for Angus show 91% by premises and 46% by geography, with Stirlingshire posting 91% and 41% respectively.
A total of 92% of Fife homes are covered, but only 79% of the area.
In Clackmannanshire, the figures were 99% and 83%, while Dundee passed 99% on both metrics.
The watchdog will not punish Vodafone, but has agreed a plan to ensure compliance with the rules by the end of the year.
It will see scores of existing 2G transmitters upgraded over the coming weeks, under close scrutiny from the regulator.
“Our network investment stands at more than £900 million this year alone, and we remain on track to deliver indoor coverage across 2G, 3G and 4G to 98% of the population by 2015, two years ahead of the regulator’s deadline,” a Vodafone spokeswoman said.
Phone companies are already pressing ahead with the roll-out of a new generation of superfast 4G mobile broadband, whilereports this week revealed China’s Huawei is to invest $600m in research into 5G network technologies.
Public take-up of 4G-ready devices has been much quicker than many in the industry had expected, and comes despite the availability of the new service remaining patchy during its introductory stages.
Ofcom says it intends for 4G to provide “near universal” mobile broadband coverage by the end of 2017, with the service to be extended to many areas still untouched by 3G.
One operator, O2, has a licence which includes a “coverage obligation”, requiring it to serve 99% of the UK population when outdoors, including a minimum of 95% of the population of each of the four Home Nations.
Ofcom hopes others will match this level of service, creating competition which leads to improved service in the market.
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