Welcoming the Government’s announcement today of a £1 billion agreement to take 4G coverage to 95 per cent of the UK landmass by the end of 2025, BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall said:

“This is a major win for our Chamber ‘No More Not Spots’ campaign, which has worked across the UK to identify and fix the mobile ‘not spots’ holding back businesses in so many parts of the country.

“Access to mobile voice and data services is a basic requirement of business today, and it is essential to consumers and for linking people and communities.

“Today’s announcement is a long-overdue step in the right direction, and Chambers will continue to work with operators and government during the rollout to ensure that the new Shared Rural Network gives our local communities and businesses the mobile coverage they need.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

· The BCC has run a ‘No More Not Spots’ campaign since 2017, working with Chambers and local communities to identify areas of no or patchy coverage.

· BCC survey in 2017 found that 70% of UK firms experience ‘not spots’, areas of no mobile coverage by any operator, or ‘partial not spots’, areas with some coverage.

· A survey conducted in February 2018 identified a substantial number (21%) of businesses did not agree that network coverage met its needs for accessing new and existing customers, suppliers and employees.

· For more information on the ‘No More Not Spots’ campaign, visit: https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/page/no-more-no…