Next Steps to End South Shropshire's Mobile 'Not-Spots' Unveiled by Stuart Anderson MP
Stuart Anderson MP has called on the government to accelerate work to ensure all of South Shropshire receives better mobile coverage by the end of the year. It follows a survey* on cellular network coverage that Stuart launched late last year. Responding to Stuart's survey, more than half said their mobile data connection is “very unreliable.”
Key findings are as follows:
- Almost every other person reported their calls dropped “very frequently.”
- One in four people said their mobile data speed is “extremely slow.”
- Eight in ten people believed their mobile signal was "poor".
Some comments included:
- “Consequences are not only poor communications but also our smart meter doesn’t work.”
- “In an emergency 999 situation on the farm I had to leave the patient and go up the drive to get a signal.”
- "I am elderly and will have no phone to call emergency services if there is a power cut."
In addition, this graphic shows just some of the words people used to describe their connection:
Stuart's campaign follows research which shows that mobile users in the UK had the least reliable experience on average of any G7 country in 2024. That's according to data that highlights the impact of poor performance on consumers.
The Levelling Up White Paper, published by the last government, set a target of nationwide 4G coverage by 2030. Signed in March 2020, the Shared Rural Network (SRN) deal has seen the Government and UK’s four mobile network operators (MNOs; EE, Three, VMO2, and Vodafone) jointly invest over £1 billion to increase outdoor 4G mobile coverage across the UK to 95% by the end of 2025.
As part of the deal, the MNOs agreed to invest £500 million in building shared infrastructure to close partial not-spots (areas which have mobile coverage from at least one but not all MNOs). The previous government also agreed to invest £500 million to tackle total not-spots (areas with no coverage).
The programme has resulted in a government-funded mast now delivering a 4G coverage boost to local businesses and community organisations near the Shropshire Hills. This means that residents and visitors to areas such as Pennerley and Asterton can now benefit from improved connectivity without the need for mobile operators to build new masts.
After engaging with Openreach and EE, Stuart was also able to get a phone mast fixed in Stanton Long. This covers a lot of Much Wenlock and had been out of service for several months.
In November 2023, it was additionally announced that Shropshire would become a 5G Innovation Region - with £3.7 million to embed advanced wireless connectivity technology across including rural industries, water management, and public services. The award is focused on the delivery of the previous government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April 2023.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"Many people have contacted me about poor mobile coverage across South Shropshire. I know just how frustrating this is. I want everyone to benefit from the great opportunities that better mobile connectivity can bring. So, I launched a survey to identify the areas that are worst affected. I would like to thank everyone that had their say. The results show that much more work needs to be done to achieve universal 4G coverage. I have now called on Ministers to accelerate work to ensure all of South Shropshire receives better mobile coverage by the end of the year. I have also shared the results with the Council and local partners so that they can coordinate future interventions. I will continue to raise the importance of rural connectivity, seeking investment from government to benefit areas still in need".
*40 responses were received between 31st October and 15th December. Over 50% said their network provider was EE. A quarter of responses came from Cleobury Mortimer.
The MNOs have set up a joint venture, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, to run the Shared Rural Network (SRN). A dedicated website provides information, answers to questions, and progress updates on the SRN.
