RAC recently released the results of a survey regarding mobile phone network coverage in the UK. It might come as a shock to many that there is no mobile network on over 4500 miles of roads in the country. Also, the high-speed 3G cover isn’t there on 14,500 miles of roads. The UK is a developed country and mobile network coverage is a basic necessity in such a rich country but there is still a huge area that doesn’t have it.
Internet is an essential utility these days and everyone wants to be connected at all times. When you are on the road and you are unable to get a signal, it’s not a comfortable feeling. What makes things more frustrating is that the no-signal problem not only exists only on country roads and rural villages but it can also happen right in the middle of capital cities or inside some buildings. Nobody expects this but it’s the reality.
The infrastructure for mobile phones is complex and expensive as it has to cater to a large number of subscribers. The UK has more than 90 million subscribers which are more than the number of people on the island. The mobile phone network along with the internet is widely regarded as one of the most expensive and usually reliable electronic systems on the planet.
The mobile network makes communication possible by using the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum which lies between 800 MHz and 2.2 GHz. This frequency does well in open spaces but is unable to cover long distances and loses power when there are thick barriers or walls. Also, its performance suffers around corners. This is the reason why there are areas where you are unable to get a signal. If you need a consistent reliable signal and want to boost your mobile signal, you can check out Signal Solutions.
In the City
There is no lack of reflective surfaces in a city. There are also surfaces that scatter and absorb these microwave transmissions. The transmitting base stations need to be placed properly to ensure proper repetition and passing on of the signal.
Signal passing isn’t an issue in the open spaces. However, areas with high built-up density, especially areas that have huge buildings or skyscrapers made of various reflective materials, often have dead zones due to the blockage of microwaves.
When you get a dead zone inside a building, the same thing happens. The microwaves need to go through a number of walls to reach the antenna of your mobile phone but these waves lose a part of their energy when penetrating through many walls and eventually, there is no energy left.
In the Countryside
Providing complete coverage inside dense buildings isn’t easy. It shouldn’t be a problem in the open countryside but it still happens. This is due to the reason that the number of base stations isn’t enough to provide full coverage to the modern transmission standards including 4G.
It’s a business which means the infrastructure is the responsibility of companies with an eye on their balance sheet. Areas with less population density make it difficult for companies to recover their investment which results in fewer base stations.
If you don’t get a proper signal when you are on various roads or travelling by train, it is also due to be lack of base stations. Some areas do not have any coverage and other areas have patchy coverage. This is due to the reason that the base stations are spread far out or only support older technologies such as GPRS or 2G.
The lack of enough base stations results in a patchy connection to the mobile phone when it is travelling at a speed of 140 mph inside a train which results in the quick shifting from one base station to another. The train is also made of metal which acts as a shield and prevents mobile phones from receiving microwave transmissions.
Getting signal everywhere
Technically, it is possible to get rid of dead zones by installing antennas everywhere. There will still be dead zones deep inside buildings but when it comes to the outdoors, dead zones won’t be an issue. However, it’s going to cost a lot of money. It is estimated that £5 billion worth of investment is needed to adequately cover 90% of the area in the UK.
