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An online map that enables mobile phone users to check their signal coverage has been launched by regulator Ofcom.
The new web tool gives visitors to the site the opportunity to zoom in and out of a map of the UK and see what mobile coverage is like across four main networks – EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three – with 3G, 4G and voice call signal coverage all shown.
The map is colour-coded for signal strength, and users can also enter a postcode to compare the different networks’ signal strength in their area.
“Ofcom’s Mobile Coverage Checker provides a single stop for consumers and businesses across the UK to discover the quality of the mobile coverage in areas where they live and work, or somewhere they intend to move,” said the regulator.
“Consumers increasingly expect a reliable mobile service. The new map therefore shows where reliable coverage is likely to be available, whatever type of handset is used, using new research by Ofcom into the signal strength needed to provide a good consumer experience.
“The new map is designed to support consumers in choosing a service that best suits their needs, while promoting competition between mobile operators.”
The map can also be broken down to show signal strength both indoors and outdoors, and is also encouraging users to report their own experiences and continually improve the map’s accuracy.
Ofcom’s chief technology officer Steve Unger said: “Access to reliable mobile phone coverage used to be a ‘nice to have’. Now it’s essential to many people’s lives.”
