Scottish island gets widespread 4G after mast turned on in 'total not spot' breakthrough

An island in the Outer Hebrides has welcomed improved 4G coverage from the four main telecoms operators after a new mast was switched on.

The mast was built on South Uist and is the first publicly-funded ‘total not spot’ (TNS) site - an area that receives no coverage from the main four operators - to be “turned on” as part of the UK government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme.

The mast is at East Gerinish and will bring 4G coverage from the main four operators to areas where there has been no coverage from either | Supplied

It means areas where there was no signal or broadband from any operator will now have it from all four: Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, EE, and Three.

The move is the latest development in the SRN programme, a £1 billion project with the four telecoms firms that was launched in March 2020 to clamp down on mobile TNSs across the UK. 

The UK government, which is funding half of the rollout, with mobile operators investing £532 million collectively, said reliable connectivity improved people's safety and was fundamental to growing rural economies. A motive has also been to improve communication for emergency services in rural areas.

The development was welcome by the South Uist’s community-owned estate.

Darren Taylor, chief executive of Stòras Uibhist, told The Scotsman: “We really welcome it. We’ve been pushing very hard for better telecoms coverage for a while now.

“As part of a wider economic development project for Lochboisdale, we’ve been chasing for better coverage for a while now so this is really welcome.”

Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, said: “I am very pleased that this Shared Rural Network total not spot site in South Uist has now been switched on, bringing 4G coverage to areas which previously didn’t have coverage from any operator.

“This will be beneficial for local residents, business and organisations, as well as those visiting the area. While there is still much to be done to continue improving our islands’ overall digital and mobile connectivity, this is a very welcome step forward.”

The rollout, however, has proved to be controversial for some areas, with some communities saying there is no need for the amount of masts going up.

For example, residents in Knoydart, a peninsula in Lochaber, have pushed back against the decision to build a network of 4G masts in the area, saying the development is “totally disproportionate” to the population size and number of businesses.

Some environment charities and organisations, including the John Muir Trust and National Trust Scotland (NTS), have disputed mast developments in some areas of natural beauty given their potential visual impact and damage to ecology.

According to the SRN, standard masts are about 20m, and some of the sites need an access track.

A total of 259 new 4G masts for TNS areas alone have been proposed in the SRN’s latest plan, with the majority being in the Highland, Argyll and Bute, and Western Isles regions. There are more masts proposed for ‘partial not spot’ areas, where there is signal for one or some, but not all four operators.

The SRN said the four mobile network operators continue work to minimise the number of new masts required and now expect to meet the programme’s objectives with far fewer sites than originally planned.

Commenting on the latest development on South Uist, Ben Roome, chief executive of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, which represents the four major mobile operators, said: “This site shows what can be achieved when industry, government and local stakeholders work together.

“Making good 4G coverage available wherever people choose to be across the UK, underpins the Shared Rural Network programme. This site going live builds on the incredible achievement of the mobile operators hitting their industry-funded coverage targets.”