A COUNCILLOR in the Ceiriog Valley insists he was delighted to hear more funding will be made available to improve mobile and broadband coverage in the Clwyd South region.

Councillor Trevor Bates believes the funding, which will be provided through the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, will prove to be a boost to those living and working in the valley.

The £1billion project is being actioned by the government and the UK’s four mobile network operators (MNOs), and will see 4G coverage boosted to 95 per cent across Wales, with Clwyd South and North Wales set to be among the biggest benefactors.

Cllr Bates is pleased funding will be provided for an important issue which has previously affected residents in the area.

“It’s long overdue – I’m really pleased to hear about this,” he said.

“We’re really glad to have it. We’ve been waiting for finance for issues like this and roads for some time.

“Some people here were suffering because they couldn’t work from home properly and their children were struggling to do their homework during lockdown.

“I’m delighted to see any sort of money coming into the area and helping with the levelling up process.”

The SRN will see EE, O2, Three and Vodafone build and upgrade phone masts to end partial ‘not-spot’ areas where only some, but not all, MNOs provide 4G coverage.

These not-spots currently prevent many rural customers from accessing differing MNO contracts unless they are signed up with a specific provider who has a mast within the area.

The deal will see 4G coverage from all four MNOs increase across Wales by more than one third from 58 per cent to 80 per cent, with 95 per cent of the population in range of at least one mobile network – up from 90 per cent in 2020.

MP for Clwyd South, Simon Baynes, welcomed the announcement and believes it is a major step towards eradicating the ‘not-spots’.

He said: “I am extremely pleased that the UK Government is so committed to levelling up the digital playing field across every part of Wales, no matter how rural or isolated.

“These plans will ensure that many more of us across Clwyd South can look forward to sweeping coverage of fast and reliable 4G within our homes and when out and about, and a next-generation gigabit broadband connection when at home or at work.

“There is of course still much more work to do to ensure everyone has the connectivity we require, but I am extremely encouraged that Clwyd South is well on the way to achieving full digital prosperity.”

The UK Government have also announced that 234,000 rural Welsh properties stuck with slow broadband speeds will be in scope for gigabit upgrades under the Government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit scheme.