Phone signal map has been created by bin lorries

A project to map mobile signals in every isolated part of a rural county by using bin lorries to collect data has been completed.

Food waste trucks in Cornwall have been carrying a box that measured signal strength on each of the four main networks at almost every property.

Tim Dwelly, a senior Cornwall councillor behind the Streetwave project, said: "It will put pressure on the mobile companies to up their game and do better."

Mobile UK who represent the major networks said the maps "don't capture the complex realities of deploying mobile infrastructure across rugged coastal topography".

Dave Anderson, operations manager at Biffa's Bodmin site, said: "Our trucks go to every corner of Cornwall, some of them can be narrow access areas like Port Isaac and Boscastle.

"Those isolated coastal towns don't have much signal and it's difficult for our operatives to communicate with us back at headquarters to report any accidents or incidents, so we're happy to be involved in this project."

Anderson said the firm, contracted by the council for waste collections, had tucked "briefcase-sized boxes" behind the seats of its food waste trucks.

Each box contains four mobile phones connected to the major networks, he said.

The council said coverage predictions were often "inaccurate", while this scheme would provide "a better picture".

Surveyors Streetwave spearheaded the £25,000 project, funded by the European Superfast Cornwall programme - an initiative which aims to provide high-speed broadband to more than 95% of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The plan is for the data to be published on the Cornwall Council website.

Dwelly, who is the council's portfolio holder for economic development, said: "There's only four major networks - Vodafone, O2, EE and Three - and all of the smaller companies use the same infrastructure.

"People in Cornwall spend hundreds of pounds a year and this will give people the information to see who is doing a good job and who is ripping them off.

"It's not a lot of money and I think it's a really good way to help people choose which is the best provider and it will put pressure on the networks to up their game."

Mobile UK which represents all four of the network providers said in a statement: "While street-level mapping provides a snapshot of a single moment in time, it does not capture the complex realities of deploying mobile infrastructure across steep valleys and rugged coastal topography.

"Mobile operators are committed to bringing connectivity to every postcode and continue to invest heavily, but highlighting gaps only goes so far - fixing them requires immediate policy action.

"Through our Mobilise Britain campaign, we are urging the Government to urgently mobilise investment, deployment, and innovation by delivering long-overdue planning reforms and ensuring the Mobile Market Review creates a regulatory environment that actively supports rollout."

Since 2020, the Government has backed the Shared Rural Network, a £1bn partnership with major mobile network operators aiming to expand 4G coverage to 95% of the UK, targeting rural black spots in regions like Cornwall.

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