The Scottish government has announced the completion of the GBP 28.75 million Scottish 4G Infill Program (S4GI), which has successfully installed 55 new 4G masts in remote and underserved regions throughout the country.
In its evaluation, the Scottish government revealed that the initiative resulted in the installation of 55 new telecoms masts in rural regions, bringing 4G connectivity to around 2,200 homes and businesses. The successful deployment of the Scottish 4G Infill Program (S4GI) is attributed to the joint efforts of the Scottish Government, WHP Telecoms, Cellnex UK, the Scottish Futures Trust, and the UK’s major mobile network operators: EE, Three, Virgin Media O2, and Vodafone.
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S4GI: A Timeline
Initiated in 2017, the S4GI was designed to extend 4G LTE coverage to areas in Scotland not covered by private sector initiatives. Backed by GBP 28.75 million, including GBP 10 million from the European Regional Development Fund, the project aimed to address connectivity gaps.
In 2018, WHP Telecom was selected by the Scottish government to lead the deployment, and since then, the infrastructure provider has been working with various mobile network operators to roll out the necessary infrastructure.
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“Although Telecoms responsibility is reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Government has long recognized the vital importance of good digital connectivity—both for work, for business and for day-to-day life,” said Tom Arthur, SG Employment and Investment Minister, in a statement. “S4GI is an excellent example of strategic investment delivering multiple benefits. This is about creating opportunities for businesses, improving daily life and ensuring no one—even the hardest to reach—is left behind in the digital era.”
“The availability of 4G services has proven to be transformational for residents and businesses in these 55 areas included as part of the program, and we are sharing the lessons learned through months of complex build and collaboration with the UK Government so that they may benefit [from] the ongoing rollout of the Shared Rural Network program,” Arthur added.
The Shared Rural Network (SRN) is a GBP 1 billion public-private partnership designed to expand 4G coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of 2025 through the deployment of additional infrastructure.
Read More: UK Government Rejects Mobile Operators’ Plea to Extend Shared Rural Network Deadline
