Country plea for better mobiles

Businesses miss out on work, residents struggle to keep in touch with family and friends, and people involved in accidents struggle to call for assistance, according to a recent survey.

Those who try to boost their coverage are forced to pay for extra technology while residents are also denied access to mobile broadband – a double blow when they are already unable to access high-speed internet through a fixed line because it is not commercially viable for providers to install infrastructure.

"Modern communications is the lifeblood of our economy and vital for the sustainability of rural areas," says a report by the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC). But rural areas will get left behind if the gulf between urban and rural connectivity is allowed to widen."

The CRC has suggested the Government force mobile phone companies to improve coverage through a universal service commitment. It says this could spark a "culture shift" among providers

Executive director of the CRC Graham Russell said: "Mobile phone technology – like broadband – is embedded into every aspect of life and has become almost an essential utility for people and for businesses.

"Yet there are rural places which still cannot receive a good mobile phone signal, with significant implications. Small businesses are the backbone of the rural economy but they need decent connectivity in order to be accessible to customers and to keep in touch with their offices.

"Employers are cutting costs and increasingly want their employees to work flexibly including from home, but this can be difficult for people with poor mobile reception." The CRC, which will be abolished next spring, has also been fighting for broadband access for rural communities.