Countryside Alliance welcomes Boris Johnson's pledge to fast track ambitious 'Shared Rural Network'

Boris Johnson will set out plans on the 27th November to end the 'scourge of poor mobile phone signal in rural areas', with a new plan, to be fast tracked in the first 100 days of a Conservative majority government, if elected.

Visiting the South West, Mr. Johnson will set out plans for a "Shared Rural Network" which would see new masts built and exisiting infrastucture shared between the four mobile phone providers - O2, Three, Vodafone and EE. He will claim this would ensure 4G service for all customers, regardless of their provider, across almost all of the UK, virtually eradicating the not-spots that exist in some rural areas - where "No Service" plagues mobile phones.

The Countryside Alliance has long campaigned on the issue of poor mobile phone coverage in rural areas, which the campaigning organisation believes holds rural businesses back from reaching their full potential and causes a massive inconvenience to people living in the countryside.

It is understood the plan will see operators pay up to £530 million to get rid of partial not-spots. He pledges that a Conservative government will add a further £500 million to build new infrastructure in rural areas that are not commercially viable, providing near-universal coverage and that the plans will also upgrade the emergency service network in the countryside to open it up for consumers, with no loss of capacity for the emergency services.

Sarah Lee of the Countryside Alliance said: "For far too long the countryside has been left behind when it comes to mobile connectivity. This annoucement from Boris Johnson, for a shared rural network fast-tracked within 100 days, will be music to the ears of many rural people. It would provide much needed coverage, boosting our rural economy, and connecting communities."

She added: "This much needed connectivity must be delivered swiftly with the Government holding operators to account if they fail to meet the coverage obligations.