Ambition North Wales not too long ago undertook a survey to measure 4G cell protection throughout the area’s major transport routes. The findings from the survey can be used to enhance digital connectivity in North Wales and to grasp the place funding could also be wanted.
The survey follows a 2021 session with regional business representatives, who said that inconsistent 4G connectivity on transport networks is affecting financial exercise within the area, together with tourism and transport operations. In improvement with connectivity consultants FarrPoint, the survey centered on measuring 4G connectivity on the area’s A and B roads and the rail community.
The outcomes of the survey discovered the next:
(Indoor/In-vehicle) protection on A roads:
- A great high quality* indoor/in-vehicle 4G service was recorded from a number of operators on 75% of A roads within the area
- A great high quality indoor/in-vehicle 4G service was recorded from three or extra operators on 28% of A roads
A great high quality indoor/in-vehicle 4G service was recorded from all 4 operators on 10% of A roads
(In carriage) protection on prepare routes:
- A great high quality in-carriage 4G service was recorded from a number of operators on 56% of the rail community surveyed
- A great high quality in-carriage 4G service was recorded from three or extra operators on 43% of the rail community surveyed
- A great high quality in-carriage 4G service was recorded from all 4 operators on 18% of the rail community surveyed
These findings present useful proof for Ambition North Wales to contemplate which areas require Development Deal funding to be able to present higher affect to residents, companies and the broader economic system.
Stuart Whitfield, Digital Programme Supervisor for Ambition North Wales, stated:
“The outcomes from the cell survey will assist us make knowledgeable choices on the place to direct funding for bettering cell connectivity inside our area. It can be crucial that choices are supported with robust impartial proof of want, permitting us to see which areas lack protection.”
“While 4G protection is comparatively good in some components of North Wales, elsewhere it stays a problem for residents, companies and guests to the area. Together with the UK authorities’s wider Shared Rural Community venture, Ambition North Wales goals to enhance cell protection on our transport networks as a precedence via the Development Deal.”
Colin Henderson, Senior Advisor on the impartial connectivity consultancy, FarrPoint, stated:
“We’re delighted that Ambition North Wales selected to accomplice with us to independently map cell protection in North Wales. Fairly than simply counting on service knowledge and predicted modelling, which make it tough to construct an correct image of connectivity, Ambition North Wales, now has a holistic real-life view of cell protection within the space and can be capable to make extra knowledgeable choices.
Having delivered many related tasks throughout the UK and Canada – we all know how useful this knowledge is in resolving longstanding connectivity points.”
For extra data on cell connectivity in North Wales, go to Ofcom’s cell availability checker: View cell availability – Ofcom Checker.
