Rural Connectivity

Traquair in Peeblesshire and Balmacara in Ross-shire have benefited from a partnership between Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, the Shared Rural Network and the Scottish Government.

3D-printed radio antennas that could help bring stronger mobile phone signals and faster internet connections to people living in remote communities have been developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield.

Mobile phone blackspots will be eliminated on several major railway lines and train tunnels by 2028, the body which runs Britain's railway infrastructure has pledged.

Ericsson has announced the launch of two high-performance antennas designed for mission-critical applications such as public safety and disaster relief.

• Unprecedented £11bn investment is one of the largest privately funded infrastructure programmes in the UK, connecting all four nations and every community  
• VodafoneThree is the only mobile network operator with a fully funded, regulated and guaranteed

The UK Government has announced 50 existing mobile masts across England, Scotland and Wales have been upgraded to improve rural mobile coverage.

The masts, which were initially only used to connect EE customers and those calling 999, have now been upgraded to provide coverage from all mobile network operators. 

Ericsson and UK Connect have teamed up to provide upgraded connectivity solutions to Surrey Search and Rescue, who were previously often relying on paper maps.

In a UK-first for onboard passenger Wi-Fi; ScotRail has introduced new, Starlink-enabled satellite technology across a rural route in the North of Scotland.

• Together with Ericsson, Vodafone has introduced a new era of tunnel connectivity with the deployment of innovative multiband mobile radio antennas in the Arlinger Tunnel near Pforzheim, Germany
• This installation marks the first operational use of Ericsson’s advanced antenna technology from Ericsson Antenna S

Rakuten Mobile and AST SpaceMobile have announced the completion of what they say is the first-ever broadband video call between unmodified smartphones in Japan using a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite.

Vodafone’s pioneering ‘Network as a Sensor’ technology is being used to forecast rainfall and other weather conditions at a micro-climate level to alert people and first responders of flooding, and other natural and man-made dangers.

Orkney Islands Council commissioned FarrPoint to carry out a mobile signal mapping exercise to gain a better understanding of the coverage available in parts of Orkney.

As connectivity becomes crucial for business, industry, and society, the UK's Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) seeks innovative solutions through its Open Network Programmes.

Hi, I’m Joslyn Knaap, an intern at Dorset Council working on the DONE (Dorset Open Network Ecosystem) project – a DSIT-funded initiative focused on advanced research and development into how cutting-edge technology can transform the rollout of mobile networks in rural areas.

Following on from the Secretary of State for DSIT’s speech at the Tech UK Conference which announced additional funding for 5GIR programme, DSIT has

As the Future Network Programmes conclude, UKTIN is working with DSIT to reflect on the government-funded projects, outlining the key outcomes and the lessons learned to help improve future telecoms initiatives. 

As the Future Network Programmes conclude, UKTIN is working with DSIT to reflect on the government-funded projects, outlining the key outcomes and the lessons learned to help improve future telecoms initiatives. 

The 5G Innovation Region (5GIR) programme has seen 10 regions throughout the UK receive a share of £36m of funding as part of our wider programme to drive 5G adoption.

As the Future Network Programmes conclude, UKTIN is working with DSIT to reflect on the government-funded projects, outlining the key outcomes and the lessons learned to help improve future telecoms initiatives. 

Major plans for faster and more reliable internet speeds for communities who need it the most have moved a step closer.

Half of Scottish homes and businesses can now get connected to ultrafast broadband from Openreach, which says the fibre rollout could generate £4 billion for the Scottish economy.

Connectivity remains a critical but evolving priority for local authority digital leaders, as the importance of 5G grows, connectivity data and funding challenges persist, and the adoption and take-up of digital solutions become a bigger focus. 

Amazon is investigating the possibility of creating a transatlantic subsea fibre optic cable that would stretch from Ireland to the US East Coast.

As the Future Network Programmes conclude, UKTIN is working with DSIT to reflect on the government-funded projects, outlining the key outcomes and the lessons learned to help improve future telecoms initiatives.