Gavin Newlands, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has backed calls for a “cast-iron commitment” from the UK Government to act on the 4,500 miles of road across the UK where there is no mobile phone signal.
The MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, Drew Hendry, has called for a consumer “opt-out” for people who wish to cancel a mobile phone contract – which usually lock a person into a contract for 18-24 months – due to poor signal.
These proposals have won the support of the regulator OfCom.
Gavin Newlands, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said:
“It is unbelievable that in this day and age that over 4,000 miles of road across the UK has absolutely no mobile phone coverage at all – it is completely unacceptable.
“Decent mobile phone coverage should be the norm and not the exception in modern times. Adequate mobile phone coverage isn’t a luxury, it is a necessity – whether for work, personal or safety reasons.
The UK Government must now give a cast-iron commitment that these blackspots in mobile phone coverage will be plugged.
“I am glad that my colleague Drew Hendry MP is leading the fight on this matter and is holding the UK Government to account.
"For far too long, poor mobile phone coverage has gone unchecked and we need to see immediate action from the Tories.”