UK Mobile Coverage Lags Behind EU and G7 Nations
Mobile internet coverage in the UK is worse than in any of the 27 EU member countries and every other G7 nation, according to an analysis by consumer group Which? based on data from Opensignal. The UK ranks 57th globally for network performance, 70th for download speeds, and 55th for consistent quality needed for activities such as video calls, streaming, and gaming. More than a third of customers reported at least one problem with their mobile service in the past 12 months, including connection drop-outs and slow speeds, according to Which? polling.
Cheap Prices but Poor Infrastructure
While the UK offers some of the cheapest mobile internet costs among peer countries, with three main networks after the Vodafone and Three merger and numerous virtual operators, it has fallen behind on coverage and speeds. Ofcom data shows that 4G coverage across all operators rose by three percentage points to 84% in the year to May, but 5G coverage from all operators stood at only 64%, leaving large rural areas without faster mobile internet.
Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?, said: “Getting a good-value mobile deal counts for very little if you’re constantly battling poor signal, slow data speeds or dropped connections. Customers deserve a service that delivers reliable performance as well as value for money. Our investigation shows the UK’s mobile infrastructure is no longer keeping pace with people’s needs. The government, Ofcom and industry must work together to improve investment, ensure coverage targets reflect real-world performance and remove barriers that are holding back network upgrades.”
Railway Coverage Poor Compared to Germany
Which? also highlighted poor mobile signal coverage on Britain’s railways, affecting mobile phones and onboard WiFi connections. The consumer group noted that the UK’s railway coverage compares poorly with Germany, which has introduced minimum download speeds of 100Mbps along main railway lines and 50Mbps along other railway routes. Barriers to investment include inflexible planning rules and disputes between landowners and operators over the value of land used for mobile towers. The G7 members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US.
