A bid to rectify “woefully inadequate” mobile phone and internet coverage on a regional daily’s patch has been launched by the newspaper.
The Daily Post is calling on the UK government, Welsh Government and Ofcom, the regulatory authority, to ensure mobile phone coverage in North Wales is equal to the UK average by February 2018.
The Post has launched a petition which also calls for discounts to be given to mobile phone customers reflecting the poor signal and internet access in their area.
The #BetterMobile campaign was launched on Tuesday, and hundreds have so far signed the petition.
Editor Andrew Campbell said: “The time for talk is over. Now is the time for action. For far too long North Wales has been forced to accept woefully inadequate mobile phone and internet coverage – impacting on people’s lives and our businesses.
“The (Welsh) Assembly is on the way to improving broadband coverage – although there’s still a long way to go. But mobile phone improvements have been painfully slow – leaving North Wales lagging far behind the rest of the country.
“Some will argue the region’s mountainous terrain is a factor. True – it does make a signal more difficult in some areas. But that’s the tip of the iceberg.
All four mobile providers offer a phone signal to most of the area. And if there’s a phone signal they can provide a 3G or 4G service – if they invest in new masts. The simple fact is the big cities are easy pickings – with more people, easier to reach to pay for their ‘service’.”
Andrew added that mobile phones were no longer a “luxury”, but a “fundamental part” of daily life.
He continued: “Therefore, today we demand the big four mobile providers spend more of their hefty profits providing a first rate service to their customers in North Wales.
“We’re not demanding special treatment – just parity with the rest of the UK. That means equalling the national average for the percentage of customers reached – within two years.
“And in the meantime, we demand customers with an inadequate service should be handed discounts until their mobile phone and data signals are up to scratch. And if the companies are unwilling to invest then the Government and regulator Ofcom must force them.”
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
On a similar note is the conundrum that is KC (kingston communications – the telephone service) in the Hull and surrounding areas. It would be interesting to know why there is such a monopoly by KC in this area…
Report this comment
Now this is what I call enlightened self-intreest… think what better mobile would do for the Post’s online figures!!
Report this comment
Best prepare for a follow-up campaign to get rid of ‘unsightly’ mobile phone masts…
Report this comment
@hackflack
You are exactly what I see to be wrong with a lot of the heroic regional press journalists that post here. You moan and groan all the time and when an article appears where a publication is trying to do something for the local community you try to claim that they’re doing it to improve their “online figures”.
Stop whinging about the internet for God’s sake. It’s here to stay and believe it or not regional press is not the be all or end all of journalisn. It is over. Please accept this and move on. Get a different job with a decent wage and stop acting like some sort of war hero.
Report this comment
@Sebastian – I think you’re reading way too much into a light-hearted comment. Have a lie down, there’s a good chap.
Report this comment
@hackflack – yeah…..right
Report this comment