UK Government Consultation on mobile phones:
"Do you have poor mobile phone signal where you live, so have a limited choice of networks? Or do you know of areas where there is poor coverage on your network?
The government wants to tackle the problem of "partial not-spots", which it says affect 20% of the UK. These are areas where there may be a signal from one or two networks, but not all (ie O2, Vodafone, EE and Three).
It has issued a consultation (42 page PDF); main points summarised below.
The government is proposing four options to address these partial not-spots:
broadening coverage by encouraging the networks to share their infrastructure (eg masts), or if they do not agree to this then by obliging the networks to do so
encourage "mobile virtual network operators" (companies which offer their own service but use one of the main networks, eg TalkTalk Mobile and Virgin Mobile) to expand by having agreements with more than one main network, so their customers would get broader coverage by being able to access multiple networks
national roaming - if you do not have signal with your own network you would automatically access another network, like when you are abroad
do nothing
The key questions are (you don't have to answer them all):
Where do you experience poor signal and which network are you with? Which services can you access (calls, text, internet)? Do you know whether other networks have better coverage in this area, and which these are?
Do you agree that the government should try and extend mobile network coverage? What do you think of the solutions above? Which would you prefer to be implemented and why?"
Email your experiences and thoughts to
partialnotspots@culture.gsi.gov.uk by Wed 26 November
