WORCESTERSHIRE County Council has continued to dispute official mobile connectivity issues provided by Ofcom and Government sources. The council has submitted mobile data collection survey results to show that coverage is considerably lower than suggested. A council spokesperson has said that thousands of people, houses, and businesses struggle to make calls – a situation that “isn’t acceptable in 2026”.
Ofcom, which uses modelled mobile coverage data, alleges that just 0.01% of Worcestershire addresses do not receive adequate mobile coverage. However, this modelled data uses algorithms and machine learning to predict coverage areas, and Worcestershire County Council argues that it paints an inaccurate picture.
The Real Picture
To paint a more accurate picture, the Council used Streetwave technology fitted to waste collection vehicles. The technology gathers street-level data covering the entire area. According to these figures, 10.03% of postcodes do not have usable coverage.
For those in rural areas, the problem has been compounded by the nation’s 3G switch off. The majority of mobile operators retired their 3G infrastructure in 2024, in a bid to free up bandwidth for 4G and 5G networks. However, 5G uses higher-frequency signals, which have a shorter range, but the masts are spread far apart, with minimal coverage in rural areas. 85% of Worcestershire is classed as rural, meaning it is especially prone to connectivity issues.
Councillor Adam Kent, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Minister for Finance, Corporate Services and Business, said of the findings: “Our independent survey exposes the uncomfortable truth. Official statistics suggest almost everyone has adequate coverage, yet our real-world testing shows thousands of homes, businesses and communities are living with unreliable or non-existent mobile signals.
He declared: “That simply isn’t acceptable in 2026.” According to additional research, the lack of mobile coverage is costing the county nearly a quarter of a billion pounds a year in lost productivity and economic opportunities.
The Importance Of Mobile Connectivity
Mobile connectivity has become increasingly important in the modern age. We not only use mobile phones to make calls and text, but we use them for work and to get online. According to recent figures, mobile phone usage has tripled compared to ten years ago, with the average adult using their mobile phones for three hours and 21 minutes a day.
We’re now more likely to watch TV and movies, and listen to music and podcasts using mobile devices. Online gaming is another area of entertainment that fits perfectly on a phone screen. The best bingo app games, and other forms of online gambling, provide greater convenience to players and offer opportunity to play on the move. We’re finding more ways than ever before to use mobile phones.
The recent World Cup not only saw record linear TV viewership figures, it boasted more than 20 billion views on FIFA’s online platforms. Although the body doesn’t detail the devices used to access this content, much of it will be from mobile users.
To help with ongoing discussions with Ofcom and the Government, Worcestershire County Council is asking users to report connectivity issues. This can be done via the county council website.
Article by Ben Spencer
