by The countryside is being cut off due to the shutdown of mobile phone networks’ 3G signal, major rural organizations have warned.
UK mobile networks have started shutting down their 3G services – which allow people to use the internet – in preparation for the rollout of 5G.
But Ofcom data shows that 7 per cent of Britain, almost all in rural areas, do not have access to the 4G and 5G networks instead of 3G.
Rural groups say people living in rural areas are being left alone and that the shutdown will put people at risk, as farmers are left without location services in an accident.
The networks and the regulator are facing calls to halt the shutdown until 4G coverage is improved so that rural black spots do not increase.
“It is important that action is taken to avoid a situation where rural businesses are cut off from 3G without reliable 4G coverage in place,” said Rachel Hallos, vice-president of the NFU.
“In many rural areas, unreliable mobile signal is preventing farmers from running efficient and productive farming businesses.
“It can also be that farmers have no means of communication during a crisis.”
Telegraph analysis of Ofcom data, provided by mobile networks, shows that the shutdown will reduce access to data services by up to 11 per cent.
Copeland, in Cumbria, is the worst affected area, followed by Dwyfor Meirionnydd and Montgomeryshire.
But mobile networks have also admitted that official data probably underestimates the lack of connectivity, which they say could be affected by rain, leaves growing on trees or house extensions.
Official data shows an extra 2 percent of the country will be pushed into the data black spot by the 3G switch, below current 4G levels.
Leaders of two prominent rural groups that use Vodafone told the Telegraph that their mobile internet access had dropped significantly since their 3G was switched off.
This is despite Ofcom’s coverage checker indicating they have good coverage.
Vodafone and EE are the first networks to complete the full 3G switch across their network, with Three due to start this month and O2 to complete next year.
The four main providers also share 3G services with the smaller networks, including GiffGaff and Tesco Mobile.
‘4G is not available in some rural areas’
The timeline for the shutdown has been set by the networks, after the Government set an original deadline of 2033.
Networks say it should still be possible to make calls over the 2G network, but newer handsets may not be able to access it.
George Eustice, former rural affairs secretary, said Ofcom should “consider requiring 3G providers to remain in some rural areas until 4G is available”.
“Everyone agrees that it would be better for consumers to switch to 4G and 5G but we cannot ignore the fact that 4G is not available in some rural areas,” he said.
A Government and industry-funded initiative to boost 4G capacity in the countryside, known as the Shared Rural Network, has stalled, with Vodafone, O2 and Three seeking a two-year extension to the first phase.
Victoria Vyvyan, president of the Country and Land Business Association, said network operators have a responsibility to provide access to ensure communities stay connected.
“Where 4G is not available, 3G must wait or rural communities will be victims of the worst form of digital exclusion,” she said.
“It will make it harder for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, people will feel more marginalized, and it would even put lives at risk, leaving the public with nowhere to go if they are injured in remote areas without emergency service coverage.”
Martin Lines, head of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said much of the coverage on his farm in St Neots had disappeared since the 3G switch-off, despite it being only 15 miles from the center of Cambridge.
“We could get 3G almost everywhere and it just went away one day,” he said.
‘When my data is gone, I’m gone’
Mr Lines uses the internet as a safety tool, to ensure he can notify his family or the emergency services of his exact location if he has an accident on his 400 acre farm.
“When my data is gone, I’m gone,” he said. “That left us in a very vulnerable position.”
He said his ability to do business has been affected because he is unable to access crop reports, weather forecasts, or use high-tech farming equipment on his farms.
Julia Aglionby, a chartered surveyor in Cumbria, said she had noticed a “huge difference” since her Vodafone 3G service was switched off.
“The cover is just not there,” said Dr Aglionby, who has stepped down from her role as head of the Common Ground Foundation while running as a potential Lib Dem candidate.
“This is something I hear from people every day,” she said.
The lack of internet affected people receiving flood warnings, accessing chat helplines, or doing day-to-day business.
“There are real financial costs as well as safety concerns,” she said. “You don’t just have the functionality to do business.”
The Local Government Association has previously accused mobile networks of “doing their own homework” and relying on optimistic modeling to give 4G coverage figures.
A spokesman for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: “Everyone should have access to a fast and reliable mobile connection, no matter where they live – and we continue to engage with the industry as they move. phase away from 3G to ensure customers do not’. t lose access to a suitable network.
“4G coverage is already available across 93 per cent of the country, and we’re spending £1 billion to end patchy connectivity in rural areas.
“By 2025, we expect coverage to rise to 95 per cent of UK land and we are on track to achieve this target.”
A spokesman for the mobile networks said: “Mobile phone coverage is affected by a number of variables, such as the weather, seasonal leaf growth, how buildings are constructed, and local topography.
“The coverage reports provided by Ofcom act as a guide to coverage.”
They added: “The phased shutdown, switching off 3G first, followed by 2G will ensure the transition is as seamless as possible.
“2G networks will continue to provide access to calls and texts, while the repurposing of the spectrum used by 3G for 4G and 5G services will provide a much better service, increasing capacity, the overall mobile internet and additional service capabilities.”
A spokesperson for Vodafone said: “This change enables us to move the 3G radio spectrum over to improve our 4G and 5G services across the UK.
“If any of our customers are still concerned, we ask them to contact us.”
‘We will closely monitor the process’
An Ofcom spokesman said: “Mobile operators have decided to switch off 3G to make way for faster 4G and 5G services, two of which have already completed this.
“We have set clear expectations on suppliers to minimize the impact on customers, and we will continue to monitor the process closely.
“The coverage data provided by mobile operators gives us a good overview, but it is not a guarantee. We regularly test to ensure that the operators’ predictions are as accurate as possible.”
