UK mobile network operators Vodafone, O2 and 3 UK have agreed a new network sharing deal to enhance 4G coverage in rural areas. They will build and share 222 new mobile masts to boost rural coverage across the UK, including 124 new sites in Scotland, 54 in England, 33 in Wales and 11 in Northern Ireland.
This investment by the operators will deliver the first stage of the GBP 1 billion Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme. Each operator will lead on 74 of the new sites, with construction of the new sites starting in 2021 and scheduled for completion by 2024. The investment will see the proportion of UK landmass covered by 4G services from all mobile networks increase from 67 to 84 percent, virtually eliminating Partial Not Spots (PSNs). A PSN is an area where at 4G coverage is provided by at least one, but not all four UK mobile networks.
