Fresh call for mobile upgrade
A LOCAL councillor has repeated calls for watchdog body Ofcom to press mobile phone operators to extend their coverage, writes Sally Gillespie.
Vicky Davidson was reacting to news that the media regulator plans to auction off fourth-generation spectrums which should boost mobile phone internet and download speeds in the Ettrick and Yarrow valleys, where coverage is non-existent in large areas.
The sale will see buying operators forced to extend their mobile reception to 95 per cent of the UK population – set to ensure better mobile reception in rural areas, says Ms Davidson.
She told The Wee Paper: “I wrote to Secretary of State Michael Moore some time ago about setting conditions on the sale of the spectrum to help rural areas, and Ettrick and Yarrow Community Council lobbied for the Scottish Parliament’s support on this as part of our submission to the petitions committee on improving mobile coverage.
“Currently only 87 per cent of the Scottish population can get basic mobile reception (2G) and only 66 per cent have mobile internet reception (3G), so there is a great deal of room for improvement.
“Ofcom will need to work hard to ensure operators extend coverage beyond their existing network of masts.”
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Weather for Selkirk
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 36 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 26 mph
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