Why UK signal is so bad – and how we can fix it

You won’t catch the big networks admitting this, but we’ll come out and say it: signal in the UK is rubbish.

We’ve all been there. Maps won’t load, messages won’t send, you can’t check the latest football score…

In fact, 17% of Brits have reported issues with their phone signal. 

Bad signal goes beyond an Instagram feed that won’t load or dropped calls. It can leave people stranded and vulnerable.

Whether it’s calling for help or using tech to support you, having a reliable signal is more than a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity.  

For something we all rely on everyday, it can feel surprising that signal in the UK still isn’t up to scratch.

Here’s why UK signal is so bad – and how you can tackle it.

Why is UK signal so bad?

When it comes to 5G speeds, London ranks worst of all Europe's major cities.

And with only 69% of rural areas covered by all four big networks, too many people are left with no signal when they need it most.

The reason behind this is simple: the big networks and our government haven’t invested enough into our telecoms infrastructure.

More people are using more devices, yet our infrastructure remains stuck firmly in the past.

The rise of remote working, smart homes and connected devices means the demand for data is skyrocketing, with networks not keeping up.

This leaves us with patchy coverage, slow speeds, and unreliable signal – especially in areas where networks haven’t prioritised upgrading the masts.

Who’s responsible for improving UK infrastructure and signal?

Ultimately, it’s down to the big networks and the government to sort our signal problems.

But building masts takes time and costs money. A lot of money – the latest planning project was originally set to spend £1bn.

That’s since been scaled back from 260 new masts being built, down to 60 – saving money, but also reducing the impact it’s likely to make.

And to top it off, the UK’s 5G rollout took a big hit in 2020 when restrictions on Huawei made things even trickier.

Before this, Huawei was a key supplier, keeping costs down and rollout moving fast. Without it, operators scrambled to switch to other suppliers, driving up costs and slowing things down.

Rural areas took the biggest hit.

The £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) was meant to improve patchy coverage, but instead of fixing it, networks had to spend time and money ripping out Huawei equipment.

With the scaling down of the latest planning project, this means fewer masts and less coverage, so slower 5G for consumers like you.

While other countries race ahead with plans of 6G, it feels like the UK is still playing catch-up.

What’s happening to improve signal in the UK?

Despite scaling back the number of masts, the latest planning project will make some headway in improving signal.

The upcoming merger between Vodafone and Three could also be a step in the right direction. Together, they’ll be the UK’s biggest network, covering over 27 million users.

Combining their resources might mean better coverage and stronger infrastructure.

But it won’t fix signal overnight.

Other approaches could include fining networks with bad coverage and incentivising covering ‘not-spot’ areas.

Others are looking beyond Earth entirely.

Earlier this year, Vodafone took a new approach to tackling signal dead zones - beaming coverage from space with the world’s first space-based mobile video call.

Cool? Definitely.

A game-changer? Maybe one day.

But back on planet Earth, Brits are still stuck with rubbish signal and locked into long, confusing contracts with zero flexibility.

How Smart SIM is solving bad UK signal 

Despite the outdated infrastructure, lack of investment and planning project delays, there is one easy way you can improve your UK signal.

With a Smart SIM.

This one-of-its-kind eSIM gives you 200+ essential apps on EE, O2 and Three, plus free global roaming. All with unlimited data and one fixed cost.

When your main SIM drops out, Smart SIM kicks in, giving you peace of mind about staying connected- whether following maps out on a hike, messaging your boss that you’re running late,  or checking train times while on the move.

“Why isn’t every big network offering a multi-network SIM then?” we hear you ask.

It’s a fair question.

The answer is pretty simple: the big networks have invested so much into their own infrastructure so they can claim to have the best signal. It’s not in their interests to launch a product that shares masts. 

Unlike Honest, all the other MVNOs are owned by the big networks, so the same applies.

If you’re locked into a contract on your main SIM, good news: Smart SIM works alongside any network. So you could be up and running with access to EE, O2 *and* Three before the day is through.

How you can drive the change for better signal

Bad signal has become the norm, but it shouldn’t be. By choosing a network that’s committed to improving signal, support and impact on the planet (like Honest 🙋), you’re sending a message that bad signal doesn’t cut it anymore. 

The more people who do that, the greater the pressure on the big networks to improve signal.

In the meantime, we’ll be here, shaking up an archaic industry with Smart SIM. Your move, big networks 👀

Your main SIM's insurance policy. Smart SIM, only at Honest.