Agenda item
Motion A: Mobile phone reception in rural areas - Proposed by Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Seconded by Councillor Steve Cosier
Proposed by: Councillor Lidia Arciszewska
Seconded by: Councillor Steve Cosier
Mobile phone reception is very patchy in West Oxfordshire. There are many areas with no mobile signal, extending over significant parts of villages and occasionally encompassing entire settlements. This has been a major frustration for residents, farmers and businesses, whether at home, work, or out and about; for example, when cycling and walking to work or school, or when they are outdoors for sports or recreation. People have been complaining about this for years.
Moreover, there is a new growing concern among the public related to the lack of mobile phone reception, as traditional BT copper phone lines are being phased out and customers are being moved to Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP, which is delivered over a broadband connection and dependent on electricity supply. Therefore, during any power outages, residents and businesses in areas with no mobile signal have no means to communicate with the outside world. While telephone companies have an obligation to protect vulnerable customers, every household in a non-signal area is at risk. Although switching to digital services is a great step forward, its implementation provides another powerful case for the need to provide rural areas in Oxfordshire with full mobile signal coverage.
The Council resolves to ask the Leader to write to Rt Hon Ian Murray, the Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to ask what the government’s strategy is to ensure full mobile signal coverage in rural areas.
Minutes:
Councillor Lidia Arciszewska introduced the motion and advised that this had been altered and now read as follows:
“Mobile phone reception is very patchy in West Oxfordshire. There are many areas with no mobile signal, extending over significant parts of villages and occasionally encompassing entire settlements. This has been a major frustration for residents, farmers and businesses, whether at home, work, or out and about; for example, when cycling and walking to work or school, or when they are outdoors for sports or recreation. People have been complaining about this for years.
Moreover, there is a new growing concern among the public related to the lack of mobile phone reception, as traditional BT copper phone lines are being phased out and customers are being moved to Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP, which is delivered over a broadband connection and dependent on electricity supply. Therefore, during any power outages, residents and businesses in areas with no mobile signal have no means to communicate with the outside world. While telephone companies have an obligation to protect vulnerable customers, every household in a non-signal area is at risk. Although switching to digital services is a great step forward, its implementation provides another powerful case for the need to provide rural areas in Oxfordshire with full mobile signal coverage.
The Council resolves to ask the Leader,
- To write to Rt Hon Ian Murray, the Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to ask what the government’s strategy is to ensure full mobile signal coverage in rural areas.
- To ask the Director of Place to work with the County Council to identify the areas lacking mobile phone signal across the district, and include the information in the letter to the minister.”
Councillor Arciszewska suggested that climate change had increased the risk to vulnerable people when mobile signal was not available. It was also noted that the points raised in the motion had been made at a previous meeting and subsequently representatives from Mobile Phone UK had given a briefing, however no action had been taken. The mobile phone industry was market driven and therefore this was a nationwide problem that required a government level solution.
The alteration of the original motion was accepted by Councillor Steve Cosier who seconded the motion. Councillor Cosier made the following points:
- The patchy nature of network coverage was an issue for farmers, business owners, parents and vulnerable residents. The lack of coverage affected safety, growth, investment and tourism in the district and was a health and safety issue. The National Farmers Union was calling on the government to prioritise rural connectivity as it was the number one barrier to growth.
- There were twenty-five “not spots” in tier five settlements in the district.
- Previous promises following attendance at the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee and promises of the shared rural network had not been met.
- In September 2025 Oxfordshire County Council had invested £500k to create a digital twin of the County’s mobile network to map gaps in coverage. It was now time for Government to follow local council leads and act on this matter.
- Batteries provided for those who would be reliant on VOIP lasted for between one and seven hours. Storms leading to power cuts in the district lasted longer than this period and therefore residents would be vulnerable.
- Residents who used Telecare red button pendants were also at risk without a mobile signal.
There were no objections to the alteration from Members and so the altered motion was debated.
In the debate the following points were raised:
- Websites such as “map your mobile online” and “signal checker” were useful tools for Members when dealing with this issue in their wards.
- It was proposed that the letter was also sent to OFCOM and mobile phone network providers advising of where the gaps in coverage were.
- It was noted that in some emergency call situations the callers network provider was not necessarily used, instead the nearest mast was accessed.
- Pendants were also noted to operate on Wi-Fi.
- It was acknowledged that Government should act but reiterated that local councils had a role to play in addressing the issue.
- Network operators had struggled to gain sites and planning permission for masts in rural areas, and this was noted to be a barrier to coverage.
In summarising, Councillor Arciszewska stated that she was happy that the letter should also be sent to OFCOM and mobile phone network providers. Councillor Arciszewska also acknowledged that councils had a role to play and this was the purpose of the motion.
The altered motion was put to the vote as follows:
For 42, Against 0, Abstentions 0
The Council resolved:
1. To ask the Leader, To write to Rt Hon Ian Murray, the Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to ask what the government’s strategy is to ensure full mobile signal coverage in rural areas.
- To ask the Director of Place to work with the County Council to identify the areas lacking mobile phone signal across the district and include the information in the letter to the minister.