EE has announced that it has significantly improved its 4G coverage in rural North Yorkshire, revealing that it has built or upgraded over 40 masts in the area over the last two years.
The villages of Chapel-le-Dale, Rievaulx, Blubberhouses, Danby Wiske, and Terrington, have recently benefitted from 4G connectivity from five recently updated masts, bringing connectivity for residents, visitors, local businesses, and the emergency services.
The majority of the masts have been built as part of the ongoing Shared Rural Network (SRN) project, the £1 billion initiative to extend 4G to rural areas of the UK, with the aim of covering 95% of the country’s landmass by the end of 2025. The project combines investment from both the private and public sectors, with all related infrastructure being shared between the UK’s four (perhaps soon to be three…) mobile network operators.
BT’s Chief Networks Officer, Greg McCall, confirmed that EE has upgraded over 1,600 rural locations so far under the SRN, which it claims is more than any other UK operator.
These network upgrades cannot come soon enough. Back in 2021, an independent report from the North Yorkshire County Council noted that the “not-spots” in the area were hindering economic growth and development in the county, adding that increasing the area’s connectivity will boost investment and jobs in sectors such as hospitality, tourism and agriculture.
“Having championed the creation of the Shared Rural Network, I know how essential it is in helping to close the digital divide between urban and rural areas and boost regional economic growth,” said local Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton in a press release.
“This improved mobile connectivity from EE means businesses and visitors in North Yorkshire are now better connected and residents have more options when it comes to working remotely and accessing essential services,” he continued.
In January this year, EE became the first of the UK’s four mobile operators (EE, Three, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2) to complete the first phase of the SRN, six months ahead of schedule. As a result, EE’s networks now cover 88% of UK landmass or 99% of the population. The project’s second deadline in 2027 will involve the mobile operators developing shared masts to bring coverage to areas with no existing coverage, known as ‘total not spots’.
Source: https://totaltele.com/shared-rural-network-update-ee-boosts-north-yorkshire-4g-coverage/