UK districts with the largest gaps in 4G mobile coverage create much less value for the local economy, a new E&T analysis reveals. The findings are a result of a data analysis that evaluated local districts’ 4G outdoor mobile coverage as reported by the communications regulator Ofcom.
E&T compared local districts’ gross value added (GVA), the value generated by any unit engaged in the production of goods and services, with the areas of worst 4G mobile signal coverage with respect to ‘outdoor premises’. This is the most suitable measure, according to Ofcom, as it focuses on areas with people and buildings rather than unpopulated countryside. E&T found GVA in low-coverage areas is considerably lower than that for well covered districts.
Graham Payne, founder of StrattoOpencell, with a background in rolling out mobile networks for Mobile Broadband Network, told E&T that the findings of the analysis ring true: “It is always the case that...