5G is being switched on in cities across the country but fears have been raised that smaller towns and villages are being left behind.
Vodafone will turn 5G on in Glasgow, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol on 3rd July, following EE’s launch in 6 cities in May. Vodafone says 5G will then arrive in Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Guildford, Newbury, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington and Wolverhampton later this year.
While it means urban areas will benefit from higher speeds and greater reliability, the Country Land and Business Association has raised concerns that rural areas are at risk of being side-lined by plans to rollout 5G before they even have fast and reliable 4G coverage.
CLA South East represents thousands of landowners, farmers and rural businesses in Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Regional Director Robin Edwards said:
“The future of the rural economy depends on fast, affordable and reliable connectivity.
“Many rural areas fall short of a 4G service due to the inability of mobile network operators to resolve poor signal and mobile not-spots. Rural business must not be side-lined. It is vital that 4G coverage is put in place first because a future 5G service relies on 4G infrastructure.”
Recently drafted proposals by the major mobile phone companies for a ‘single rural network’ would mean mobile operators sharing masts on a reciprocal basis and forming a new company to build joint masts in rural areas. In return, operators are asking for rural coverage obligations associated with upcoming spectrum auctions to be ditched and a reduction in the annual licence fees paid by networks for the funding of new masts.
The industry’s plans have the potential to deliver coverage improvements. However, in their current format they are not legally binding and, if met, would mean 95% coverage by 2026 – some four years later than existing government manifesto commitments.
Mr Edwards added:
“We are pleased to see mobile companies engaging with the issue, but any suggestion that rural users can wait seven years for 4G coverage is totally inadequate. Furthermore, it leaves too much riding on the goodwill of operators when previous voluntary targets have been missed.
“Only a strong, robust, transparent and legally binding regulatory framework will ensure the needs of the countryside are met in a timely manner.”
Lets start with being able to receive phone calls Island wide first, I think.
I have trouble at home in Binstead on EE & theres still some black spots around the island for all providers.
“What about rural areas” one should apply the bus pass test…free bus passes when reaching 60 yrs old in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and London (yes London!)
That’s what they think of rural areas! We’re just a bunch of hobbits to the government. But I suppose it would be too “green” to give all 60 year olds a bus pass eh!