Scottish council launches ‘ground-breaking’ initiative to fix the connectivity gap

Argyll and Bute Council has become the first Scottish local authority to launch an area-wide mobile coverage survey in a bid to bridge the digital divide.

The initiative will bring “unparalleled insight” into mobile network performance and a “much more technologically advanced picture”, the council said.

Part of a partnership project with Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), the survey will see network analysts Streetwave surveying mobile connectivity across more than 2,500 kilometres of road network in the local authority.

Data collected will help assess signal strength, network speed, and coverage details from the UK’s four major mobile operators: EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone.

Findings will then help identify areas with limited coverage and guide improvements, especially in remote areas where digital exclusion is a “significant” issue, the council said.

In 2019 Councillor Alastair Redman urged the government to fix the connectivity gap in rural communities, saying “far too many people and business” were struggling for a signal across his Kintyre and the Islands ward.

Council bin lorries will carry out the mapping exercise while volunteers will use portable data collection units to assess connectivity in remote areas.

All results will be made available through Streetwave’s free coverage checker to help locals and businesses make informed choices about the best mobile networks in their area.

The council’s policy lead for business, Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess, said: “This is a ground-breaking initiative that will be of huge benefit to our communities. A reliable mobile phone signal is vital, especially in some of our more remote locations.

“By gathering precise data on mobile network performance, we can better address digital exclusion and push for essential coverage improvements, ensuring connectivity for all our residents and businesses, no matter their location."

The council’s Digital Exclusion Fund is supporting the project, match funded by SFT. The fund was launched in 2021 to assist communities that are outside any commercial or government programme to secure a superfast broadband connection.

The connectivity crisis is affecting many across Scotland, with some constituencies amongst the worst in the UK for internet speeds.

According to the latest report by news website Thinkbroadband, seven out of 10 of the worst areas for full-fibre coverage in the UK are Scottish local authorities.

Over the past few years, a number of initiatives have been introduced to bridge the connectivity gap north of the border.

In 2018, the Scottish Government launched its R100 programme which plans to provide broadband speed to every area in Scotland. It was initially set to be concluded by 2021 but legal challenges with contracts in northern areas delayed the scheme deadline to 2028.

And last week the Orkney island of Papa Westray started receiving internet through the water network, in what is believed to be a UK first.