‘No more hanging out the window’ says a digital minister as 海角视频 Government announces a major uptick in mobile and high-speed broadband coverage.
New maps and figures published reveal that every region of Wales will see 4G coverage reach at least 95 per cent by 2025 under the Shared Rural Network (SRN) - a world-first £1 billion programme between the 海角视频 Government and mobile network operators.
The SRN will see EE, O2, Three and Vodafone build and upgrade phone masts to end so-called ‘partial not-spots’: areas where only some, but not all, mobile network operators provide 4G coverage.
These not spots mean local people cannot connect unless they are signed up with a specific provider who has a mast in the area.
In North Wales this should see the area covered from all four providers go from 63% to 83% - with coverage from at least one operator going from 93% to 98%.
The 4G boost comes as the 海角视频 Government today announces that 234,400 rural Welsh properties stuck with slow broadband speeds will be in scope for gigabit upgrades under the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit scheme.
海角视频 Government digital infrastructure minister Matt Warman said: “This is one of the single biggest sources of frustration that MPs get in their mailboxes, people telling us they are hanging out of the window to get a decent signal.
“Thanks to today’s plans people in Wales can look forward to sweeping coverage of fast and reliable 4G when out and about.
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“No one is pretending this is a complete panacea but this is a very significant increase in coverage.”
He added: “This shows the value of the union - this investment is harder if you are a smaller unit, that does not take away the differences between parts of the union but shows that working together is in everyone’s interest.”
Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said: “It is vital that all areas of Wales have the connectivity they need to flourish and these plans will ensure that 95% of every part of Wales will soon have 4G coverage.”
The broadband projects, which will be funded through the 海角视频 Government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit, will prioritise areas which currently have slow connections. This includes towns and villages in Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, and Anglesey. The 海角视频 government will set out the timetable for the delivery of these connections once it has agreed the procurement process with the Welsh Government.