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UK mobile users had the least reliable experience on average of any G7 country in 2024, according to data highlighting the impact of poor performance on consumers.
Britain scored 859 points on a scale for mobile phone reliability between July 1 and September 28 in a study conducted by research firm Opensignal, with Italy scoring 861 and Japan in first place on 925.
the UK It has lagged behind peer countries in high-speed 5G mobile networks, partly due to disruption caused by a government ban on Chinese company Huawei's equipment.
Experts have also blamed the lack of reliability on low investment and delays in planning permits for telecommunications towers.
Britain ranked last among the G7 members of advanced economies for mobile phone reliability experience on a scale of between 100 and 1,000 points. It measured the ability of mobile users tracked by Opensignal to connect and successfully complete basic tasks on mobile networks and covered all mobile network generations from 2G to 5G.
Kester Mann, director of consumer and communications affairs at research group CCS Insight, said the UK's poor performance reflects “a lack of investment in the industry, Huawei's infrastructure replacement, persistent planning issues and growing demand”.
Sam Fenwick, principal analyst at Opensignal, cited similar reasons for the UK's rating, including a lack of investment in mobile networks and software to replace Huawei Group, which shifts “some operator focus and capital expenditure away from network rollouts”.
He also pointed to the difficulty of obtaining planning permission for masts, which was “exacerbated by immobility and a lack of public awareness of what modern mobile infrastructure looks like”.
Among the UK regions, users in Yorkshire and the Humber had the most reliable mobile experience on average between July 1 and September 28 while users in Wales had the worst.
Fenwick said the findings have implications for digital inclusion, noting that “it is important that poorer areas of the UK are not left behind.”
Trade association Mobile UK said mobile network operators are committed to delivering state-of-the-art 5G networks and investing billions of pounds each year.
He added that “decisive actions by the government, such as streamlining the planning process, prioritizing national infrastructure goals, ensuring affordable spectrum is available and creating a supportive regulatory environment” will increase the impact of the investment and help support the country’s digital future.
As part of the approved merger between Vodafone's local operations and CK Hutchison's Three UK business, the two companies' commitment to an £11 billion network modernization will be overseen by UK telecommunications regulator Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority, the antitrust watchdog.
Mobile phone users in Britain were also affected by the issue Slowest average 5G download speeds Any G7 country in 2023, according to the research.
The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology said: “Access to fast and reliable mobile and broadband coverage is critical to achieving the change our country needs to thrive.”
Ministers were on a “mission to deliver full, independent 5G coverage to all populated areas in the UK by 2030 by removing planning barriers in a way that respects local communities and ensures our networks are safe from foreign interference by hostile actors”. She added.
