MOBILE phone coverage in Scotland will continue to lag behind the rest of the UK unless more ambitious targets are set, it has been claimed.
In a joint response to a consultation by regulatory body Ofcom, the Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust warned that its proposals would not bring the country in line with other UK nations. The Scottish Government expressed disappointment that Ofcom’s original proposals to provide a geographic coverage obligation of 76% in Scotland had been reduced to 74%.
It noted that the plans would see Scotland achieve the biggest level of coverage uplift in terms of percentage point increase, but said it would still leave the country lagging behind.
Connectivity Minister Paul Wheelhouse urged the regulator to adopt equitable targets across the UK. He said: “While, legally, access to telecommunications is the responsibility of UK Ministers, I welcome the engagement between Ofcom, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Futures Trust in exploring alternative approaches beyond what is proposed. However, I believe current proposals fall far too short for Scotland, something we’ve been saying for a considerable time now.”
An Ofcom spokesman said: “We want to see the best possible mobile coverage in Scotland, so we’re proposing stretching new rules to boost reception in rural areas.”
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