Bin lorries in Inverclyde to collect mobile phone data

It is part of a major new project  to bring households up to speed by creating an interactive map showing the fastest and lowest rates of connectivity outside every home, workplace, location or place of interest.

All the vehicles are fitted with 5G data boxes as part of the ambitious exercise to identify places the four mobile mobile operators are failing to reach.

Now the team will be picking up on poor mobile phone coverage while on their rounds emptying bins.

New mobile phone scheme launched in Inverclyde (Image: George Munro)

 Inverclyde are the first to launch the study which aims to build a better picture of the strength of signals street by street.

Councillor Paul Cassidy, Inverclyde Council’s vice-convener of environment and regeneration, said: “Mobile phones and the internet are vital tools in everyday life whether at home, at work, or out and about.

"It’s exciting for Inverclyde to be leading the way with this initiative by becoming the first Glasgow City Region council to install the data gathering equipment in our bin lorries and we look forward to seeing the results and feeding into the wider project.”

Inverclyde is taking part in the exercise along with the other local authorities within the Glasgow City Region on a rotational basis.

Councillor Cassidy added: “With technology constantly evolving, we must ensure we have the level of connectivity required to cope with demand to support existing employees, residents, and businesses and encourage more people to live, work, visit, and do business in Inverclyde and across the Glasgow City Region.

New mobile phone mapping scheme (Image: George Munro)

This is Scotland's largest study of mobile phone connectivity with the information used to create an interactive ‘coverage checker’ map for people to see which mobile networks offer the fastest speeds outside of the home, workplace or other locations of interest.  

The study will help to identify areas that have little or no mobile coverage and data will be used to lobby providers to make wireless technology improvements to allow individuals and organisations to make informed decisions about which providers to choose.

It will also help boost public and private sector service delivery.

The initiative launched in Inverclyde on Friday, November 29 and will be rolled out elsewhere.

The work is part of the Glasgow City Region Smart and Connected Social Places programme funded by the UK Government Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 5G Innovation Regions programme and delivered by leading connectivity solutions providers Streetwave and Commsworld.

There will be a particular focus on looking at ways to improve connectivity for the health and social care sector with staff and service users increasingly using mobile devices to carry out work and access support.

Kevin Rush, Director of Regional Economic Growth, said: “This is the biggest network mapping project of its kind in Scotland - so it goes without saying that it’s a hugely exciting one to be part of.

“Being connected has never been more important and this project will give the partnership and, most importantly, the people and businesses throughout the City Region the tools they need to ensure they are getting the best possible service.”

The new coverage checker, which will be rolled out at a later date and after data is collected, will allow people to find the provider with the strongest mobile signal for their address.

People will be able to see the signal strength that EE, Vodafone, Three and O2/Virgin Media offer within a 30-metre radius outside of their homes and businesses.

Craig Scott, Public Sector Development Director, from Commsworld, said " Ultimately this will benefit everyone – residents, businesses and organisations – who lives and works in the west of Scotland.”

For more information and updates on the roll out of the coverage checker in each of the participating councils, visit https://glasgowcityregion.co.uk/mobilephonecoverage/