Industry data shows how badly the UK compares with other countries when it come to having a reliable mobile phone service
Britain has the worst phone signal of any major economy, analysis has revealed.
Industry data shows we rank bottom of among G7 countries – which also includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US – when it comes to mobile network performance. The country is also behind all 23 additional EU countries included in the comparison by Opensignal’s Global Network Excellence Index.
Globally, the UK is 57th overall for network performance, 70th for download speeds and 55th for the consistent quality needed for activities such as video calls, streaming and gaming.
The poor performance was highlighted by consumer group Which? as it revealed the results of its own survey of customer satisfaction.
The poll of more than 5,000 mobile customers found poor signal and unreliable mobile data connection are among the biggest frustrations facing consumers.
Price remains the biggest factor when choosing a mobile provider, with half saying value for money was their main reason for choosing their network.
However poor signal was the most common complaint, with more than a third (38%) of customers reporting they had experienced at least one problem with their service in the past 12 months.
Of those who had an issue, almost two in five (39%) said they found the coverage routinely dropped out, 37% suffered from slow or poor data speeds, a third (32%) experienced dropouts while travelling by car or public transport. One in 10 endured major network outages lasting longer than a whole day.
Which? says at the heart of the problem is too much of focus on coverage rather than ensuring people get a decent reliable service.
It cited industry giant VodafoneThree whch says more than half of its planned network upgrades require planning permission despite 96% being upgrades to existing sites. Rivals EE and Mobile UK say notices from landlords mean that, at times, up to seven per cent of mobile mast sites across London have been forced offline.
Which? has submitted recommendations to the government’s Mobile Market Review calling for greater investment in mobile infrastructure, 5G targets that ensure customers on all networks can access high-quality services, and coverage standards that measure real-world performance, including download and upload speeds, rather than simply whether a signal is available.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, 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 peoples’ 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.
“If you are fed up with poor signal, don’t assume you have to settle. Use Which?’s mobile network coverage and quality map to check how networks perform where you live and consider switching to a provider that offers better value and a more reliable connection.”
