Mobile Coverage Tool Live

Mobile Coverage Tool Live

INVERCLYDE residents and businesses can now access a free tool to find out which mobile networks provide the fastest speeds at home, work or other locations of interest.

The interactive and easy to use coverage checker is available following a comprehensive study of signal strength throughout the area.

It can be found via the Inverclyde Council website at www.inverclyde.gov.uk/mobilecoverage

The mobile coverage survey, the largest in Scotland, is being carried out across council areas within Glasgow City Region with the assistance of bin lorries.

Refuse trucks are being used to carry equipment which is gathering data about the strength of signal from the UK’s four mobile operators street by street while people’s bins are being emptied.

Residents will then be able to see the signal strength that EE, Vodafone, Three and O2/Virgin Media offer within a 30-metre radius outside of their homes or businesses.

The initiative, which launched in Inverclyde in November 2024, is being rolled out to North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, and East Renfrewshire in the coming weeks and months.

Councillor Paul Cassidy, Inverclyde Council’s vice-convener of environment and regeneration, said: “We are proud to have been the first council in the Glasgow City Region to take part in this massive study – Scotland’s largest mobile coverage survey – and it’s exciting that the results are now available for Inverclyde residents and businesses to access.

“The data gathered during the survey locally has been fed into an interactive, easy to use mobile coverage checker that’s available online to access for free.

“It allows residents and businesses to check the quality of signal of the UK’s four mobile providers in their local area, in other parts of Inverclyde, and locations across the Glasgow City Region, and make an informed choice about which provider is best for them.

“The added benefit is that this data can be used to show the providers where there are gaps in coverage in Inverclyde and across the wider City Region and make the case for improvements to be made.

“With an ever-increasing reliance on fast and reliable connectivity, this is such an important project in ensuring Inverclyde and the wider Glasgow City Region are getting the best possible service.”

The work, which is part of the Glasgow City Region Smart and Connected Social Places programme, is funded through the UK Government Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 5G Innovation Regions programme and is being delivered by leading connectivity solutions providers Streetwave and Commsworld.

Kevin Rush, Director of Regional Economic Growth for Glasgow City Region, said: “This is the biggest network mapping project of its kind in Scotland – so it goes without saying that it’s a hugely exciting one to be part of.

“The data collected will serve a dual purpose.

“Firstly, it will help businesses identify the most effective connectivity solutions for their operations, empowering them to make informed decisions that enhance their productivity and competitiveness.

“Secondly, it will enable the partnership to lobby mobile operators more effectively, advocating for necessary improvements in digitally excluded communities to benefit residents and businesses alike.

“Being connected has never been more important and this project will give the partnership and, most importantly, the people and businesses throughout the City Region the tools they need to ensure they are getting the best possible service.”

Traditionally mobile network providers have been the only ones to offer a checker, and they have been based on estimated measurements and their own modelling, which often does not reflect the reality.

The connectivity survey is independent and has gathered data that is based on actual on-street measurements.

Residents and businesses that may be relocating, purchasing new mobile contracts, or looking to improve their access to mobile networks will benefit from the tool.

The study will help to identify areas that have little or no mobile coverage and data will be used to lobby providers to make wireless technology improvements to allow individuals and organisations to make informed decisions about which providers to choose.

In collaboration with Streetwave, a leading connectivity solutions provider, the project is utilising cutting-edge technology to assess mobile network and LoRaWAN coverage across the Region. This groundbreaking initiative marks a significant step forward in understanding and improving connectivity in the UK.

Streetwave will deploy its innovative data collection equipment on the bin trucks of the participating councils, ensuring comprehensive data collection at every address along their routes.

Portable data collection units will also be used in Glasgow during foot surveys in the city centre and at key stadiums, including Hampden, Ibrox, Celtic Park and Scotstoun at peak times and during major events.

This unique approach will provide an unprecedented level of detail and accuracy in coverage mapping, enabling Glasgow City Region to gather essential information about mobile and LoRaWAN networks across the Region.

Throughput speed (consumer experience), signal strength, network generation and frequency band information will be collected for all four of the main mobile network operators in the UK: EE, O2/Virgin Media, Three and Vodafone.

The 5G Innovation Regions programme aims to drive innovative applications powered by 5G from proof of concept to widespread adoption.

Innovation Regions will demonstrate and adopt 5G and other advanced wireless use cases across key sectors of the economy.

Each Innovation Region will demonstrate the scalability, replicability, and sustainability of use cases, and disseminate project learnings and benefits.

For more information and updates on the roll out of the coverage checker in each of the participating councils, visit www.inverclyde.gov.uk/mobilecoverage

IMAGES

*Images below from the launch of the mobile mapping survey in November 2024.

Scotland’s largest mobile network mapping exercise, which uses bin lorries to capture data, launches in Inverclyde before being rolled out across the Glasgow City Region. From left, Barry McNally, Programme Manager for the Glasgow City Region Smart & Connected Social Places (SCSP) Programme, Councillor Paul Cassidy, Inverclyde Council‘s vice-convener of environment and regeneration, and Craig Scott, Public Sector Development Director from Commsworld.