Tri-Nation Coverage Consortium

Subject to securing funding, Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC) on behalf of participating organisations intends to award a contract to Streetwave Ltd for a period of 12 months with an option to extend for a further period of up to 12 months. The contract will support 65 councils and 6 police forces across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in conjunction with the Home Office and associated Governments.

Ofcom will also be provided with regular updates and data insights. The proposed collaborative contract is to address the lack of reliable, high-resolution data on mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) network coverage across the UK’s geography, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

Reliance on predicted data makes it difficult for Public Sector organisations to enforce coverage obligations or guide Government investment. It also limits councils, government, businesses and residents from choosing the best networks or targeting connectivity interventions.

For example, councils and Government can’t define digitally excluded communities or identify where planning departments are blocking mast installations that would close coverage gaps. Police forces also lack access to up-to-date cell site data to support investigations, search efforts, and prosecutions.

The proposed contract aims to generate the world’s most granular coverage maps across Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Streetwave Ltd will collect real-world signal data from every road and railway line.

It is anticipated that this approach will ensure consistent data collection at a national scale. This innovative approach will support the following: Consumers and businesses choose the best-performing network in their locations - improving safety and productivity.

Ofcom assesses coverage compliance and support Government policy recommendations. Councils ensure staff and telemetry systems stay connected - boosting performance.

The Home Office evaluate national Emergency Services Network (ESN) performance to assess readiness. Police Forces perform national scale cell site analysis - the use of mobile signal data to support investigations.

Planning departments identify priority locations for new mast approvals. Government identification of coverage gaps and support Mobile Network Operators with providing coverage.

Envisaged Outcomes: Mobile Coverage Dashboard - view Data on a GIS and analyse results via automatically generated graphs/charts ESN Performance Dashboard - allowing the relevant bodies to ascertain gaps within ESN. National Cell Site Data Downloads - allowing cell site analysis Publicly Accessible Coverage Checker - allowing residents and businesses to understand the best networks available.

Joint collaborators: Eligible Regulatory Bodies: 1. The Home Office 2.

Welsh Government 3. Scottish Government Welsh Local Authorities: 1.

Isle of Anglesey 2. Gwynedd 3.

Conwy County Borough 4. Denbighshire 5.

Flintshire 6. Wrexham County Borough 7.

Powys 8. Ceredigion 9.

Pembrokeshire 10. Carmarthenshire 11.

Swansea 12. Neath Port Talbot 13.

Bridgend County Borough 14. Rhondda Cynon Taf 15.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough 16. Vale of Glamorgan 17.

Cardiff 18. Caerphilly County Borough 19.

Blaenau Gwent 20. Torfaen 21.

Monmouthshire 22. Newport Scottish Local Authorities: 1.

Aberdeen City Council 2. Aberdeenshire Council 3.

Angus Council 4. Argyll and Bute Council 5.

City of Edinburgh Council 6. Clackmannanshire Council 7.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 8. Dumfries and Galloway Council 9.

Dundee City Council 10. East Ayrshire Council 11.

East Dunbartonshire Council 12. East Lothian Council 13.

East Renfrewshire Council 14. Falkirk Council 15.

Fife Council 16. Glasgow City Council 17.

Inverclyde Council 18. Midlothian Council 19.

North Ayrshire Council 20. North Lanarkshire Council 21.

Orkney Islands Council 22. Perth and Kinross Council 23.

Renfrewshire Council 24. Scottish Borders Council 25.

Shetland Islands Council 26. South Ayrshire Council 27.

South Lanarkshire Council 28. Stirling Council 29.

The Highland Council 30. The Moray Council 31.

West Dunbartonshire Council 32. West Lothian Council Northern Ireland Local Authorities: 1.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council 2. Ards and North Down Borough Council 3.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council 4. Belfast City Council 5.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council 6. Derry City and Strabane District Council 7.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council 8. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council 9.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council 10. Mid Ulster District Council 11.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Police Forces: 1. Police Scotland 2.

Police Service of Northern Ireland 3. North Wales Police 4.

South Wales Police 5. Gwent Police 6. Dyfed Powys Police