Mobile UK network analyst firm Streetwave has published the first results from their work with the Growing Mid Wales (GMW) programme, which uses bin lorries to map local network (4G, 5G etc.) coverage and broadband performance. Overall, none of the mobile operators provided “Good Coverage” across more than 50% of Powys’ road network, but EE does come top (49%).
The use of bin collections to map mobile coverage and data performance is one that has only recently started to become popular (here, here and here). In this setup, refuse collection vehicles are installed with four off-the-shelf Smartphones using software from Streetwave on top, which run continuous network tests (once every 20 metres in rural areas and 5m in urban areas) as the vehicles go about their routes.
The data this produces is typically much more accurate than the flaky estimates of mobile coverage that are so often produced by network operators and Ofcom, which is because bin lorries need to go down almost every single road in order to conduct their collections and do so on a weekly basis. Suffice to say that this makes them a uniquely useful resource for conducting this sort of study.
Streetwave itself typically deems an operator to have delivered “Good Coverage” where their network provides users with mobile broadband performance of at least 5Mbps download, 2Mbps upload, and below 40ms (milliseconds) latency. These are said to be speeds where “most ordinary use cases” including internet browsing, video streaming or conference calls can be performed.
The average level of “Good Coverage” across the operators in Powys was found to be just 40%. But Streetwave also identified “large areas affected by total not-spots” in the region. Across 20.4% of Powys, there was not a single operator who could deliver download speeds above 5Mbps. Likewise, across 35.9% of Powys, no operators could deliver upload speeds above 2Mbps.
Levels of Good Mobile Coverage in Powys (May 2024)
Mobile Operator
‘Good Coverage’ in Powys
1 – EE (BT)
49%
2 – Vodafone
46%
3 – O2 (Virgin Media)
39%
4 – Three UK
26%
In addition, the survey also identified areas that could deliver so-called “Essential Coverage“, which reflects locations able to deliver performance of at least 1Mbps download, 0.5Mbps upload speeds and below 100ms latency. The figures are naturally a bit higher here, although trying to use the modern internet at such speeds can be excruciating.
Levels of Essential Mobile Coverage in Powys (May 2024)
Mobile Operator
‘Essential Coverage’ in Powys
1 – EE (BT)
69%
2 – Vodafone
66%
3 – O2 (Virgin Media)
57%
4 – Three UK
53%
The results from this project will now be used by GMW to identify digitally excluded communities across Mid Wales and to potentially deliver targeted connectivity interventions to improve the situation. Results from Ceredigion will also be published soon.
Streetwave has so far conducted similar bin lorry-based surveys in 30 local authority areas during 2024 (many of these are ongoing) and they’re now in discussions with another 50 councils. In an ideal world, all of this data would need to be made available to consumers via a visual interactive map in order for it to be truly helpful, although a basic address checker is anticipated.