Over 150 4G mast upgrades are now live across the UK’s national parks, including the Yorkshire Dales and Eryri, Snowdonia, as part of the continued rollout of the Shared Rural Network.
The latest upgrade provides extended 4G coverage across over 5,684 square kilometres, in areas that previously only had access to EE coverage, or none at all.
The government-funded 4G mast upgrades are delivered through existing infrastructure and bring 4G coverage from EE, Virgin Media 02, and Vodafone and ThreeUK in order to bolster connectivity in rural areas.
The rollout is intended to support accessing online public services, working more flexibly from home, running payments and bookings for local firms, and for holidaymakers accessing location data or calling for emergency assistance.
Mike Hellers, Product Development Manager at the London Internet Exchange, commented: “Strengthening connectivity in rural areas is a key aspect of the UK’s growth ambition, providing greater access to digital services, AI tools and streaming in hard-to-reach locations like the Yorkshire Dales and Eryri.”
“As more communities gain access to reliable 4G coverage through the Shared Rural Network, efficient traffic exchange and keeping data as local as possible will become increasingly important in delivering the low-latency, resilient services people expect. Continued investment across the wider internet ecosystem will be essential to support growing demand and maximise the benefits of expanded mobile connectivity.”
42 Shared Rural Network sites are now active across the UK’s national parks, including 25 sites in England covering areas such as the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, 16 sites in Wales including Eryri, and 1 site in Scotland in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.
Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, commented: “Connectivity continues to get taken for granted across the UK despite being something we all rely on so heavily. Rural communities, in particular, have long faced challenges as essential digital services such as healthcare, banking and education shift online, also having a knock-on impact on wider employment and access opportunities.”
“The government’s latest expansion of the Shared Rural Network rollout is an important step in recognising the importance of reliable mobile and internet access to keep people connected in remote areas. Connectivity is a key component of digital inclusion, and the next step is ensuring people in Yorkshire have affordable and suitable devices for work and school, alongside the digital skills to use them effectively. These government initiatives set the tone for inclusivity in the UK’s regions.”
The government has outlined that the Shared Rural Network programme has hit its rollout objective of extending 4G coverage to 95 per cent of the UK landmass a year ahead of schedule.
Minister of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Ian Murray, said: “You should be able to switch off in the countryside without being cut off from the help and services you need.”
“These 150 masts are helping change that – giving walkers, visitors and rural communities better access to signal when they are checking a route, contacting family, running a business or calling for help.”
