London is introducing a new strategy to tackle weak mobile signals and unreliable connections, with Mayor Sadiq Khan unveiling a package of measures designed to help identify network
shortcomings and accelerate improvements across the capital.
The initiative includes a detailed assessment of mobile network performance, an interactive map highlighting areas where connectivity needs attention, and a new set of practical recommendations for London’s borough councils. The measures aim to strengthen cooperation between local authorities, mobile operators, infrastructure providers and developers.
At the heart of the initiative is the Capital Connectivity Standard, a new benchmark intended to assess whether mobile networks deliver the level of performance expected in a major international city. The accompanying London Mobile Connectivity Evidence Report examines real-world network performance, offering a more detailed picture than conventional coverage maps alone.
Developed with support from connectivity data specialist Ookla, the report evaluates download and upload speeds, signal strength and latency — the time taken for a network to respond to a request. These indicators help explain why users may experience delays during video calls, slow loading times when using online maps or unreliable connections, even in areas officially covered by mobile networks.
The analysis identifies significant differences in mobile performance across London. Inner north and east London emerge as areas of particular concern, with Camden, Islington, Hackney and Tower Hamlets recording weaker signal strength than several other parts of the capital, including the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, Newham, Lambeth, and Hammersmith and Fulham.
Network quality also depends on which mobile operator customers use and where they are located. The report highlights the importance of infrastructure availability, network capacity and response times in determining the quality of the service experienced by residents, commuters and businesses.
To help address these challenges, City Hall has published a new Mobile Connectivity Framework outlining ten measures boroughs can adopt to support better mobile services. Recommendations include appointing dedicated officers to coordinate connectivity improvements, making suitable council-owned buildings and land available for telecommunications equipment, and incorporating mobile infrastructure requirements into major development plans from the earliest stages.
The framework is designed to remove practical obstacles that can delay network upgrades and make it easier for operators to identify appropriate locations for new equipment. The interactive connectivity map, developed by the Mayor’s City Intelligence Unit, will enable users to examine mobile performance in different locations, including download speeds and signal strength, helping partners prioritise areas requiring further investigation.
The programme builds on Khan’s Connected London initiative, launched in 2017 to expand access to full-fibre broadband, improve mobile services and increase the availability of public Wi-Fi.
Since then, City Hall has worked with local councils and the telecommunications industry to expand fibre infrastructure. A £30 million investment programme has supported the installation of fibre equipment on public assets, including libraries and CCTV columns, while London Plan policies have sought to ensure that new developments are equipped with full-fibre connections and can accommodate growing mobile connectivity demands.
Significant progress has also been made on public transport. Through Transport for London’s partnership with Boldyn Networks, 4G and 5G services are being introduced across the Underground, including in tunnels between stations.
Coverage has reached approximately 70 per cent of the Tube network, with completion targeted by the end of the year. Delivering modern mobile services across the Underground presents a substantial engineering challenge because of the network’s age, complexity and extensive tunnel infrastructure.
Independent analysis by Ookla has also placed London among the world’s leading cities for the adoption of underground 5G connectivity. The project is intended to transform the passenger experience by allowing commuters to remain connected throughout more of their journeys.
The partnership with Boldyn is supporting improvements above ground as well. Around 80,000 Transport for London street assets, including lampposts and bus shelters, have been enabled to accommodate future mobile infrastructure. These locations could help operators expand capacity in busy areas where demand for mobile data is particularly high.
Despite these advances, the Mayor acknowledges that unreliable signals and slow connections remain a problem for some Londoners. Growing demand for mobile data is placing additional pressure on networks, while expanding coverage requires suitable installation sites, agreements with property owners and coordination with construction projects. New developments can also force existing equipment to be moved, creating further complications.
Responsibility for funding, building and operating mobile networks rests with telecommunications companies rather than the Mayor. However, City Hall can help create conditions for investment through planning policies, access to Transport for London assets and closer cooperation among boroughs, landowners, developers and network providers.
The new evidence report, performance standard, practical framework and interactive map are intended to give these partners a shared basis for identifying shortcomings and directing resources where they can make the greatest difference.
Reliable digital connectivity has become increasingly important to London’s economic competitiveness and everyday life, supporting businesses, remote working, access to public services and communication on the move. City Hall’s latest measures aim to ensure that the capital’s digital infrastructure keeps pace with these demands and that improvements are guided by how well networks perform in practice, rather than simply where a signal is available.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Reliable mobile signal is essential to everyday life in London, whether you’re working, running a business or keeping in touch with family and friends. Although huge progress has been made, many Londoners still experience frustrating gaps in service.
“This new evidence and map will help us understand where improvements are needed and work with boroughs and mobile operators to deliver better connectivity, building a fairer and more prosperous London for everyone.”
Theo Blackwell MBE, Chief Digital Officer for London, said: “London is a thriving global city and it is essential that our digital infrastructure can support our needs, now and in the future.
“We’ve developed a range of practical tools to support better digital infrastructure - and mobile connectivity has improved immensely thanks to the work of the Mayor’s Connected London programme
“However, there is still more to do. Understanding the quality of mobile signals has been too opaque for too long. These groundbreaking new tools will provide us with an in-depth look at the connectivity challenges we’re facing across London, giving us the evidence we need to target investment in the right areas and improve digital connectivity for Londoners.”
Sabina Wallington, VP of Sales, Europe, Ookla®, said: “A city can only plan for the connectivity it can measure. Through this partnership, Ookla has given the Greater London Authority an unprecedented, city-scale evidence base. By combining controlled street-level testing from RootMetrics with Speedtest real-world crowdsourced data across both iOS and Android, and indoor coverage data, gathered while networks were carrying real load, we’re looking past bare-minimum coverage. We are measuring how networks actually perform under real demand—the standard a leading global capital requires, and adding to a wider shift in UK policy towards judging networks on how they hold up under demand as well as where they reach. London is pioneering this approach globally, and we’ve built it to be a blueprint for cities worldwide.”
Gareth Elliott, Director of Policy and Communications at Mobile UK, commenting on the London Mobile Connectivity Framework said: “Mobile UK welcomes the London Mobile Connectivity Framework, a vital step toward treating mobile, part of our critical national infrastructure, with the same urgency as power or transport. We particularly back City Hall’s focus on removing planning red tape, opening up public assets, and directly confronting the disruptive impact of Notices to Quit. Our industry is ready to work hand-in-hand with the GLA and boroughs to deliver the real-world capacity Londoners rely on.” Photo by Tim Parkinson, Wikimedia commons.
