Argyll and Bute Council has made history as the first local authority in Scotland to launch an area-wide mobile connectivity survey, covering its diverse mainland and island communities.
In partnership with the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), the ambitious project will assess mobile network performance across more than 2,500 kilometres of road network. Streetwave, a network analysis firm, will lead the survey, supported by the council’s Digital Exclusion Fund, with additional funding from SFT.
To ensure comprehensive data collection, the council is employing an innovative approach. Bin lorries from its fleet will gather data during their regular routes, complemented by volunteers equipped with portable data units to map connectivity in harder-to-reach locations, such as farms, islands, and walking paths.
This cutting-edge initiative will deliver detailed insights into signal strength, upload and download speeds, and the type of network frequencies (2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G) available. The survey spans all four major UK mobile operators—EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone.
The results will highlight areas with poor coverage, guiding targeted improvements and addressing digital exclusion in remote areas. Residents and businesses will gain access to the findings through Streetwave’s free coverage checker, empowering them to make informed decisions about the best mobile providers for their needs.
Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess, the council’s Policy Lead for Business, hailed the project as transformative:
“This is a ground-breaking initiative that will significantly benefit our communities. Reliable mobile phone coverage is essential, particularly in our most remote locations. By collecting accurate data, we can better combat digital exclusion and advocate for improved connectivity for all our residents and businesses.”
Dr Robert Gardner, Associate Director for Digital Connectivity at SFT, added:
“Understanding true mobile coverage and user experiences is vital to enhancing rural digital connectivity. This collaboration with Argyll and Bute Council and Streetwave represents an important step in bridging the digital divide.”
