Press Releases

EE connects more remote Highlands locations to 4G

August 7, 2023

Posted by: Janmesh Chintankar

EE has collaborated with several partners, including the Scottish Government, the Scottish Futures Trust, and WHP Telecoms, to deliver 4G connectivity across remote areas in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. This joint effort has led to the installation of 13 new 4G masts as part of the Scottish Government’s €28.75 million Scottish 4G Infill programme (S4GI), aimed at extending 4G infrastructure and services to rural areas that previously suffered from severely limited mobile coverage.

By working together, the partners have addressed signal ‘blackspots’ and improved mobile coverage in rural Scotland, enabling critical services like the Jura Medical Practice to communicate with their helicopter landing pad during emergencies. Additionally, this enhanced 4G connectivity benefits residents, visitors, and businesses in the region, providing access to mobile service and promoting overall safety and economic development.

The introduction of high-speed 4G connectivity was made possible by two newly masts on the Isle of Jura, bringing communication for the Jura Medical Practice during emergencies. EE says that the medical facility can now effectively communicate with its helicopter landing pad and ensure on-call doctors remain reachable.

According to EE, the ongoing project has already connected 13 remote ‘blackspots,’ and in 2023, an additional six areas across the Highlands and Islands are scheduled to be activated. These sites will provide crucial connectivity to Scottish emergency services and Mountain Rescue teams, while residents, visitors, and businesses will also get access to 4G mobile services.

The Jura Medical Practice, profoundly impacted by the masts installed at Craighouse and Ardlussa, has transitioned to a modern VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone system and now benefits from connectivity for on-call and locum staff. The medical facility frequently relies on life-saving helicopter transfers to mainland hospitals.

Martin Beastall at Jura Medical Practice says: “The new connectivity has delivered a hugely important boost to our day-to-day operations. Our helicopter landing site is used in the most critical situations, and so the importance of fast and reliable communication cannot be underestimated. Having access to EE’s 4G network means we can operate more effectively and ensures that we have a reliable connection to communicate when we need it most. The local area is popular with walkers and hikers, so to have access to 4G in an emergency is reassuring for both our staff and the public.”

Greg McCall, chief networks officer at BT Group, says “Together with the Scottish Government and our industry partners, we are delivering the connectivity boost rural communities so desperately need in the digital age. These new sites represent an important step forward in our mission to provide local people, businesses, and emergency services with fast and reliable 4G mobile connectivity across the Scottish Highlands and Islands.”

Scottish Government Innovation Minister Richard Lochhead says: “Our new 4G masts in the Highlands and Islands demonstrate once again our commitment to providing future-proofed digital connectivity to residents and businesses in all parts of the country, no matter where they live.

“Thanks to this [£28.75 million (€33.32)] Scottish Government programme, local residents, businesses and visitors in all these communities can access 4G for the first time, enhancing how they work, communicate and access public services. Availability of 4G services also creates more opportunities for businesses in the area, helping them improve their efficiency and productivity.”

Martyn Cheyne, group chief strategic officer at WHP Telecoms Ltd, says “WHP Estates is pleased that these shareable structures are now facilitating reliable coverage to many of the more remote communities across the Highlands and Islands. ‘Digitally Levelling Up’ these not-spots is transformational, unlocking the latent talent and creativity allowing businesses and communities to not just retain but also attract people to grow and thrive. Those of us in the telecoms industry are redoubling our efforts to meet the challenges ahead on the SRN (shared rural network), as for every not-spot we have covered so far there are many more which still urgently require this life-enhancing connectivity.”

The 13 ‘blackspots’ connected across the Highlands and Islands are:

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