The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2014 - Issue 35 | Page 18

FARM NEWS

VODAFONE UK LAUNCHES NATIONAL
PROGRAMME ON RURAL NOTSPOTS
Vodafone UK has launched a national programme giving up to 100 rural
communities across the UK the opportunity to apply for mobile access.
The company is calling
for communities to work
together, in partnership
with their local MP, to
apply for the installation
of its Open Sure Signal
technology in their villages
and hamlets and bring
Vodafone 3G mobile
coverage to their area. In
addition to the domestic
Sure Signal device, up to
one million people could
have mobile signal in their
community.
Vodafone’s initial Rural Open
Sure Signal trial has seen
the connection of 12 rural
communities across the UK,

from Walls in the Shetland
Islands to Newton St Cyres
in Devon. Communities
connected so far have
been enjoying social media
using mobile internet while
businesses, from GPs to
a mussel farmer, now have
mobile signal to help make
their businesses work better.
In rural and remote locations
across the UK, networks can
struggle to deliver coverage
via traditional means. This may
be due to the geography of the
area or difficulties with planning
permission in areas such as
national parks and areas of
outstanding natural beauty.

Vodafone Open Sure Signal
uses ‘femtocell’ technology to
provide a Vodafone 3G signal
in areas where traditional
mobile coverage has been
unable to reach.
Mobile connectivity has
been identified by many
commentators as playing
a vital role in keeping
communities in touch and
helping to support rural
economies. The economics
of getting mobile coverage
into rural areas by traditional
methods, however, can mean
that some communities have
less opportunity than others
to benefits from mobile

connectivity. Ofcom’s latest
annual Communications
Market Report highlights that
half the UK population now use
their mobile phone to access
the internet. Vodafone Rural
Open Sure Signal not only
enables Vodafone 3G voice
services, but also provides the
community with access to the
internet via their mobile.
Applications for
programme close on 14
October 2014 with the
first communities to be
connected by the year end.
Find out more at: www.
vodafone.co.uk/rural

Note: We Are Now In Our New Premises At:
Unit 3 A & B Murihall Road
Labert FK5 4HZ

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Aug/Sep 2014 FarmersMart

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