A group of UK MPs has published a report calling on the government to do more to end mobile 'not spots' in the country. Their report calls for measures such as fines for operators not meeting coverage targets and national roaming to improve coverage for end-users.
The report by the 'British Infrastructure Group' of MPs found that a third of mobile users, or 17 million people, across the UK report poor or no reception at home, while as many as 28 percent of rural spots in the country also lack coverage. The MPs want the government to request information from mobile operators by December on what they are doing to ensure a promise that the UK has at least 90 percent geographic voice coverage by 2017.
They also want the government to enforce an industry agreement from 2014 on improving coverage, which the MPs say has failed to delivery fully. The MNOs committed to investing GBP 5 billion to improve mobile coverage across the UK by 2017. The MPs want Ofcom to be allowed to fine the MNOs if they don't meet their commitments in the agreement by the end of 2017. They also want the regulator to be able to enforce a minimum standard of service quality. If operators don't meet this, customers should be allowed to cancel their contracts without penalty.
In terms of national roaming, the MPs see a need for making this possible in areas without sufficient coverage. They noted that visitors to the UK often receive better coverage than residents, as they are allowed to roam across multiple networks. The report called on the government to look at requiring roaming in 'macro not spots' around the country.
