London Mayor Unveils Plan to Fix Poor Mobile Network Across the City

(Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Photo by C40 Cities)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a new plan to improve mobile phone coverage across the capital.

He has published a London Mobile Connectivity Evidence Report that shows which networks are falling short, along with a framework of ten actions boroughs can take to improve connections.

The report and an interactive map show how mobile performance varies across London.

It was developed with help from connectivity data experts Ookla.

It found that inner north and east London have weaker signals.

Camden, Islington, Hackney and Tower Hamlets recorded weaker signal strength than the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, Newham, Lambeth, and Hammersmith and Fulham.

The report advises boroughs to appoint mobile connectivity officers, identify council buildings and land that could host network equipment, and plan for mobile coverage early in major developments.

The map lets people check download speeds and signal strength by location.

The plan builds on the Mayor's Connected London programme, set up in 2017.

That programme has invested £30 million in fibre, upgrading public assets such as libraries and CCTV columns.

4G and 5G are also being rolled out across the Tube network, which is now 70 percent covered and due to be finished by the end of the year.

Many Londoners still face weak signals, dropped calls and slow connections.

A recent Standard report said London is falling behind other major world cities on mobile reception.

Mobile UK said London's connectivity "continues to lag frustratingly behind other international hubs."

The Standard has also reported that signal in central London is getting worse because of network bottlenecks, with fewer antenna sites and more tall buildings.

City Hall says mobile operators are responsible for building and running their networks, but the Mayor can help through planning policy, access to TfL assets and coordination between boroughs and developers.

Lord Khan said reliable mobile signal is essential to everyday life in London and that the new evidence will help target improvements.

Theo Blackwell, London's Chief Digital Officer, said the tools will give a clearer picture of the challenges and help direct investment to the right areas.