FarrPoint's new report shows the impact of EE mobile connectivity on Britain’s rural communities

A new independent study carried out by connectivity consultancy FarrPoint has analysed the socio-economic impact of four 4G mobile sites on the rural communities they serve across the UK.

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The report finds:

• A range of social and economic benefits, worth between ￡249,000 and ￡6.9 million to different types of rural communities over 15 years.
• Significant additional social wellbeing and safety benefits brought about by mobile connectivity.
• Reliable mobile signal is helping transform local industries, with small businesses, freelancers and tourist populations all deriving economic benefits from 4G coverage.
• Although all masts provide a benefit, in two of the locations analysed, the cost to the operator of delivering and maintaining the 4G mobile network is more than the economic uplift the community realise from the coverage.

Download the report to see the full list of findings or visit the EE's website to read the press release.

Greg Mccall , Chief Networks Officer at BT Group commented:

Every rural community can benefit from modern mobile connectivity. This report provides evidence of how it is helping local businesses grow, supporting rural employment opportunities, and enabling more people to experience the benefits of the digital economy. That’s why we’re proud to have delivered on the coverage targets we committed to, helping to close the digital divide and ensure that the benefits of 4G connectivity are more widely felt in every corner of the UK.

Further details and results from the study per site are summarised in the table below:

Andrew Muir , CEO of FarrPoint, noted:

At FarrPoint, we believe digital infrastructure can meet rural needs despite technical challenges, yet about 9% of the UK still lacks mobile coverage. The main issue is often the cost and perceived value of such investments. We were pleased to study the benefits of EE's investments in four sites under the Shared Rural Network (SRN), which positively impacts rural connectivity and shows the industry's ability to extend services to challenging areas.

If you're interested in learning more about this work or how FarrPoint could help review your projects, get in touch.