Virgin Media O2 has used a helicopter to deliver three new 4G mobile phone masts to the remote Uist islands in the Outer Hebrides.
The upgrades will address a partial not-spot and provide residents, as well as businesses and visitors, with faster and more reliable mobile connectivity than ever before
The new 4G masts were flown in by helicopter to the remote location during the May bank holiday weekend. The area will now benefit from a complete transformation in mobile connectivity which will tackle countless not-spots and areas of patchy signal. The upgrades will provide residents, as well as businesses and visitors, with faster and more reliable mobile connectivity than ever before, making it easier to access online services and stay connected with friends and family, while also offering a greater choice of provider.
Currently, over 20% of the area lacks 4G coverage from all four mobile network operators – Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, EE and Three – with signal blackspots creating an issue for local people and visitors alike. The Shared Rural Network upgrade programme is set to help tackle this, providing essential connectivity to people in historic not-spots such as this.
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We are absolutely committed to bringing reliable mobile coverage to even more rural communities across the UK, having built or upgraded more sites than any other operator as part of the Shared Rural Network programme. This work is absolutely vital in closing the urban-rural digital divide that exists in the UK.
“Many rural parts of Scotland are already benefiting from our rollout of new and upgraded masts, and we are delighted to bring enhanced mobile connectivity to the beautiful area of Uist. We are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to bringing connectivity to rural communities, with our team using helicopters to deliver three new masts to Uist over the recent Bank Holiday weekend. Our Shared Rural Network rollout continues at pace, with more locations set to benefit in the near future.”
Virgin Media O2 has built or upgraded 150 company-managed Shared Rural Network sites, ahead of any other operator participating in the SRN scheme.