Mobile-mast-and-man-using-smartphone-by-CoPilot-for-MJ-on-190624
The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, this week informed ISPreview that they’ve been “working hard to overhaul our mobile coverage checker” in order to better match people’s real-world experiences, particularly of modern 4G and 5G (mobile broadband) services, and intend to launch the result of all their work “later this year“.
Ofcom’s existing Mobile Coverage Checker is currently based on coverage predictions from the mobile network operators themselves (EE, Vodafone, Three UK and O2), which are generated using computer programs that simulate the way mobile signals travel from mobile masts and are blocked by any obstructions such as hills, trees, and buildings.
NOTE: The existing coverage predictions are processed into a ‘100 metre by 100 metre’ grid matrix that covers the entire UK land mass, but this is a bit too big to get a good view of individual premises etc.
However, as many of ISPreview’s readers could probably attest, this sort of data doesn’t always reflect real-world experiences and should thus be taken with a pinch of salt. Last year the regulator indicated that they were working to improve all of this and that work is now starting to near completion.
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A spokesperson for Ofcom told ISPreview:
“Our current coverage data comes from mobile network operators’ predictions, which we recognise may not always match people’s real-world experience at a very local level. We are working hard to overhaul our mobile coverage checker, which we expect to relaunch later this year with new and improved data to better reflect what people can expect.”
The improved checker will use higher signal strength thresholds when presenting local predictions, while also providing clearer explanations of the issues and the specific functions of the web-checker. Ofcom also intends to assess predicted signal strength information at a more granular level (50 or 25 square metres, instead of the current 100 square metres) to determine if it is possible to reduce the local uncertainty to some extent.
The regulator is also examining the use of measured data, including crowdsource data, to build on these coverage predictions. Finally, once the new checker has launched, Ofcom will move to consider undertaking a larger scale performance measurement programme to complement coverage predictions and enhance their mobile reporting.