Good news for the North and Midlands, bad news for the South.
A report from Which? and analyst OpenSignal has revealed the best and worst cities in the UK for 4G mobile internet coverage, measuring data from 20 cities across the country.
The study analysed upwards of 500m data readings from over 30,000 users between December 1 2016 and February 28 2017, revealing that Middlesbrough/Teeside had the best 4G availability, with 82.7% coverage, followed by Sheffield and Sunderland.
Bournemouth/Poole came bottom of the table with 67.5% availability, followed by Southampton/Portsmouth and Cardiff.
The table in full:
Top 5
Middlesbrough/Teesside – 82.7%
Sheffield – 79.3%
Sunderland – 79%
Leicester – 78.6%
Leeds/West Yorkshire – 78.2%
Bottom 5
Bournemouth/Poole – 67.5%
Southampton/Portsmouth – 69.6%
Cardiff – 71.8%
Nottingham – 73.3%
London – 73.6%
Brendan Gill, the chief executive of OpenSignal, commented on the results, saying: “The mobile data experience isn’t the same in every city for UK consumers.
“Users found signals more often in Middlesbrough than in Manchester and faster 4G connections in Stoke than in London.”
The report also looked at 4G download speeds, revealing that Stoke-on-Trent has the best download speeds, while Brighton has the worst.
A spokeswoman for Ofcom commented, saying: “Ofcom rules mean that virtually all UK premises must receive a 4G signal by the end of this year.
“We’re also making available valuable new airwaves to boost mobile broadband, and have challenged mobile operators to explore how to reach all remote areas and transport lines.”
