MP asks for constituents’ help over mobile signal

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan is asking for constituents’ help holding the Government to account over the poor mobile signal across large parts of the region.

The MP has long criticised the official data on mobile coverage which doesn’t correlate to lived experience on the ground in Shropshire.

Now Ofcom has launched a new ‘Map Your Mobile’ coverage checker - and Helen wants as many as people to test the tool out.

Ofcom, the UK’s regulator for communications services, released its new mobile coverage checker late last month, providing a performance score by postcode.

This was followed by a report released by the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) last week, publishing data which paints a starkly different picture to Ofcom’s official coverage statistics.

In North Shropshire, Ofcom claims that every geographical area is covered by at least one mobile network operator (MNO), whilst the River Severn Partnership report shows that in fact 2% of North Shropshire Postcodes are without any connection.

Helen is now asking constituents to use the checker, and report back on its accuracy to help hold the government agency to account on its reported data.

Since her election, Helen has campaigned tirelessly for improved rural mobile connection in North Shropshire and has set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Digital Communities which is currently holding an inquiry into rural mobile connection.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “Reliable mobile signal is a necessity in the modern world – not a luxury - but in too many parts of Shropshire it is still impossible to get a reliable connection.

“This is just one of many examples where rural areas have to put up with second-class services.

“The recent report from the River Severn Partnership shows what rural communities have been saying for years — that the official figures don’t reflect the reality on the ground.

“That’s why I’m asking constituents to check Ofcom’s new service and help me hold them to account to achieve better mobile signal for everyone.”