A plan to increase and improve mobile coverage in Scotland has been agreed with mobile operators, the Scottish Government has announced.
The proposals will see ministers work with the industry to maximise commercial investment in 4G mobile in Scotland, and ultimately support 5G-ready infrastructure across the country.
The operators involved include EE, Three, O2 and Vodaphone.
Cabinet Secretary for Connectivity Fergus Ewing said: “Ensuring high quality digital connectivity for people across Scotland is a priority for the Scottish Government. That is why we are doing everything we can to improve the case for investment in Scotland, despite this being the responsibility of the UK Government.
“We have been working closely with the UK mobile network operators, and they have demonstrated a clear commitment to maximising coverage. Already significant progress is being made towards meeting 4G coverage obligations, but we collectively recognise that coverage gaps will still remain in some of the most rural and remote areas.
“We will identify where those gaps will be after the commercial rollout, and together with the industry will jointly design technology solutions and business models that will allow services to be delivered by operators in a sustainable way.”
Key partners in the initiative include the digital team at Scottish Futures Trust, who will provide technical and policy support, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, who have been liaising with operators and planning authorities to ensure that commercial rollout across the region proceeds as smoothly as possible, the government said.
