The UK government has switched on its 50th publicly funded 4G mobile mast in Scotland, marking a milestone in efforts to improve phone coverage across some of the country's most
remote communities.
The latest mast, activated on the Ardnamurchan peninsula in the West Highlands, is part of the Shared Rural Network, a partnership between the UK government and mobile network operators aimed at eliminating mobile "not-spots" across rural Britain.
The programme has now expanded 4G coverage from all four major mobile operators across more than 1,900 square kilometres of rural Scotland, covering an area larger than Edinburgh and Glasgow combined.
Scotland has long faced greater challenges than the rest of the UK in providing reliable mobile coverage because of its mountainous terrain, scattered communities and remote islands. According to coverage forecasts submitted by network operators to communications regulator Ofcom, Scotland remains the least connected of the UK's four nations.
Most of the new coverage has been delivered by upgrading existing mobile masts, reducing the need for new infrastructure in environmentally sensitive areas. Communities across the Highlands, Galloway, the Cairngorms and the Outer Hebrides have benefited from the improvements.
Recent upgrades have also extended coverage to several popular visitor destinations, including the islands of Arran, Islay and Jura, Dukes Pass in the Trossachs National Park, and Tarbert on the Kintyre 66 tourist route.
Officials say the stronger mobile signal will help rural businesses communicate with customers, coordinate deliveries and keep staff connected, while also improving access to online services for residents and visitors. Better coverage is expected to be particularly valuable during emergencies, allowing people to contact emergency services more quickly regardless of their mobile provider.
UK Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd said Scotland's geography had made it one of the most difficult parts of the country to provide reliable mobile coverage, but said continued investment through the Shared Rural Network was helping to eliminate long-standing coverage gaps.
More than 140 government-funded 4G masts have now been activated across Great Britain under the programme. New masts are only constructed where existing infrastructure cannot be upgraded.
Alongside mobile improvements, the UK government said its investment in gigabit-capable broadband has connected more than 153,000 homes and businesses in some of Scotland's hardest-to-reach areas, extending high-speed internet access to communities that might otherwise have remained underserved. Photo by Panchonn2018, Wikimedia commons.
