Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

THE CLA (Country Land and Business Association) has commented on a government announcement, as over 100 mobile masts are upgraded across:- rural Wales, Scotland and England, delivering new 4G coverage from all mobile network operators for the 1st time.

This milestone was reached in the Government's Plan for Change to boost rural connectivity through the Shared Rural Network, helping communities get the mobile coverage they need.

The Shared Rural Network is a joint programme between the UK Government and the UK's major mobile network operators, including:- EE, Virgin Media O2 and VodafoneThree to improve rural coverage across Britain.

Families will enjoy their most connected Christmas yet, tourists visiting for festive breaks will have better connectivity for their journeys, and emergency services will have enhanced coverage during the winter months.

From guest houses and holiday lets, to village halls and coffee shops, businesses across previously unconnected parts of the UK can now more reliably process contactless payments, take online bookings and stay in touch with customers during the festive period.

CLA President Gavin Lane said:- "Reliable mobile coverage is vital for rural economic growth, so we welcome the upgrading of masts. But many parts of the countryside remain in the digital wilderness, impacting businesses and communities, and more work needs to be done to close the urban rural connectivity divide. To achieve this, the relationship between site providers and operators must be based on cooperation and mutual understanding. The CLA supports the ambitions of the Shared Rural Network and will speak to any operator so all of rural Britain can benefit from the digital revolution."

The 100 masts are predicted to bring outdoor 4G signal coverage from all mobile networks to over 4,000 square kilometres of the UK.

Among the businesses now enjoying improved connectivity, an eco-friendly guest house in the Scottish Borders can now keep guests connected during Christmas breaks while they enjoy the exceptional dark-sky location, perfect for tracking Santa on Christmas Eve.

A village hall at the heart of a community in Northumberland has vital infrastructure keeping locals connected.

New coverage will also be available in 10 national parks across:- England, Scotland and Wales, including:- Eryri National Park, and the Lake District.