The Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) project in England has received a further £250,000 of funding in order to extend their Mobile Boost Scheme, which works to improve rural 4G mobile (mobile broadband and voice) availability by offering vouchers (up to £1,200) to help deploy indoor mobile signal boosters.
The programme, which is being funded through the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership’s (HotSWLEP) Growth Deal, is targeted at those premises which have no adequate access to indoor 4G coverage from any operator or only one operator. So far, more than 1,200 homes and businesses across have already benefited from this scheme (up from 900 in August 2022).
NOTE: Last year, data from Ofcom suggested that over 20,000 premises across the Devon and Somerset area may exist in 4G “not-spots“.
Businesses and residents that make use of this scheme, including those in Somerset, Devon, Torbay and Plymouth (South West England), are also required to make a modest contribution which, depending on the option chosen, will range from £250 for installation to a monthly fee for a SIM card (averaging c. £30 per month). This is because the main cost, as covered by the voucher, is largely related to the expensive hardware itself.
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