North Devon is ‘second worst’ mobile phone area in the UK
Latest data from Ofcom shows North Devon is in the bottom 10 of areas in the country for mobile phone performance
Most North Devonians will be familiar with wandering around outside with arm outstretched desperately trying to get a phone signal to send an urgent text or make a call.
So news that Ofcom’s latest Mobile Matters report has placed North Devon was in the bottom 10 local authority areas in the UK for mobile performance will come as no surprise.
In fact, the district was ranked second bottom, better only than West Devon.
Ofcom has said none of the 360 UK local authority districts met its ‘good’ performance benchmark, with connectivity that provides a download speed of at least 5 Mbit/s; an upload speed of at least 1.5 Mbit/s; and latency (response time) of no more than 50 milliseconds one way.
That’s enough to let people make video calls, stream content or scroll social media.
The watchdog says tackling the issue demands a national effort in which the mobile industry, local authorities, the Government, building developers, major landlords and Ofcom all play their respective roles.
It has highlighted a range of areas where more action is required, including investment from mobile companies, local authorities stepping up plus developers and major landlords taking a more active role.
It said the nation should be raising the bar for mobile networks, plus the Government should be working on engagement on trains and harnessing new technology.
Ofcom’s group director for infrastructure and connectivity, Natalie Black, said: “People rightly expect connectivity they can count on — and delivering it will require a joined‑up national effort.
“We are determined to play our part and will work closely with industry, government, local authorities and others to break down barriers standing in the way of progress, so we can enable economic growth, make everyday life more seamless, and ensure people get more out of the service they pay for.”
Check where you live, work and travel to compare networks with Ofcom's Map Your Mobile. Map Your Mobile, for free, at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/mobile-coverage-checker
You can switch your mobile provider if you wish using Ofcom's Text to Switch system by sending a free text message, just text 'PAC' to 65075.