When buying my house in the summer of 2019, apart from all the usual conveyancing searches and enquiries, I never thought much about whether my mobile phone would work at the house. You just take it for granted when house hunting. Not anymore!
The use of mobile phones is vital today and not just for you but for the youngsters in your family relying on social networks and media. You will get some grumpy looks if you lack mobile coverage. The number of bars on your phone is not always a sensible guide. A little-known fact is that the cell phone bars that supposedly let you know about your mobile reception are not reliable. This is because they vary, depending on the model of your phone and your cell phone carrier.
In my case, if I go to the top of the garden and wave my phone in the air, I can sometimes get 3G. So now we use internet dialling through our Wi-Fi and have a cheap landline phone in case of emergencies. It is no use for me having a work mobile without an internet dialling option
Whilst 92% of the UK landmass has 4G coverage from at least one operator, 4% have no good mobile signal at all. The leafy lanes of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset do not encourage easy reception. We all know the sight of delivery drivers driving or wandering round in a blind spot.
Coverage varies in different parts of the country, with urban areas having better coverage than rural areas. Countries and regions with high proportions of rural areas, such as Scotland, Wales and the North East, have the lowest 4G coverage.
The Shared Rural Network (SRN) is an agreement between the UK Government and mobile industry announced in March 2020 to improve rural mobile coverage by 2025. Under the deal, mobile industry operators will invest around £500 million to fill ‘partial not-spots’ (spots with coverage from at least one but not all mobile operators). The mobile operators have committed to legally binding coverage obligations to support this commitment.
Even if you have coverage, it may not be very good in quality or reliability. You can use apps both on Android and IOS to check the mobile signal. Help and guidance may also be obtained from OFCOM at this address https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/advice/ofcom-checker
However, until that comes to pass, don’t forget to hold your phone up in the air when viewing your dream property.
Should you have a Property matter that you wish to discuss, please contact us.
