The Government has announced plans to work with mobile phone operators to set up a Shared Rural Network for mobile phones across the UK.
It should provide 4G coverage for 95 per cent of the country by 2025.
Mobile operators tend to measure their coverage by percentage of population, favouring urban areas.
In last year’s Connect Nations report, OfCom reported only two thirds of the UK landmass had good-quality 4G coverage.
This new deal, which will involve all the main operators sharing existing and new mobile masts, will extend mobile coverage geographically to benefit farmers and countryside workers.
It is expected to provide additional coverage to 280,000 homes and 10,000 miles of road, and get rid of ‘not spots’ where network coverage is impossible.
The deal, announced by Digital Secretary Nicky Morgan, will involve mobile phone operators investing £530 million in the Shared Rural Network.
This will be matched by a £500 million investment from the Government.
The Government will also allow its own mobile Emergency Services Network to be made available to commercial phone operators.