Lack of 4G puts rural areas at risk, says CLA

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Rural areas are at risk of being side-lined by the insistence to rollout 5G over 4G mobile coverage, according to the CLA.

The CLA which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses has welcomed plans to increase connectivity in the countryside announced today (23 July) but warned that rural economic growth is being put at risk due to the failure to recognise that 4G for all must be achieved before rolling out 5G services. 

CLA Dr Charles Trotman said: “We welcome the Government’s intention to connect hard-to-reach rural areas. The future of the rural economy depends on fast, affordable and reliable connections. However, we need to see fully developed details from the Government as to why the full fibre broadband rollout should take 15 years to complete and where the money is coming from.

“Many rural areas fall short of a 4G service due to the inability of mobile network operators to resolve poor signal and mobile not-spots. Rural business must not be side-lined. It is vital that 4G coverage is put in place first because a future 5G service relies on 4G infrastructure.

“We support the Government ambition to deliver mobile coverage to 95% of UK geographic landmass by the end of 2022. One of the ways to do this is to hold to account mobile phone operators to ensure they invest in a better connected countryside. By engaging all of the industry in the process and ensuring landowners’ rights are fairly balanced, we can finally ensure 4G for all.”