Press Release | 19 Apr 2024

200 rural locations across the UK now receiving fast and reliable Vodafone 4G through Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme

stock image of the countryside near Combe, Berkshire

Combe, West Berkshire, is the location of Vodafone's 200th SRN mast.

Vodafone customers visiting, living or working in 200 rural locations across the UK are now receiving strong and fast Vodafone 4G through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme.

A mast located in Combe, West Berkshire, has become the 200th to go live with Vodafone 4G as part of the programme. As a result, residents, businesses and visitors are now enjoying faster and more reliable data speeds, as well as better-quality voice calls.

The SRN programme is a £1bn joint initiative between the mobile industry, Ofcom and UK Government which aims to increase operators’ UK 4G coverage in rural areas. The activity is also part of Vodafone’s wider network modernisation programme which has seen its 4G coverage reach 99% of UK premises, and the recent retirement of its 3G network so 3G radio frequencies can instead be used to strengthen 4G and 5G services across the UK.

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Andrea Dona, Vodafone UK’s Network Director said: “The SRN programme remains an extremely important strand of our wider rural network campaign. For our 4G to reach 200 masts is great news for our customers in those rural and remote areas of the UK.  However, we continue to work hard on this programme to ensure our customers have the coverage they need, whatever their postcode.” 

Laura Farris MP, Member of Parliament for Newbury, said: “Connectivity is a vital component of our day-to-day lives and this Government is committed to extending high-quality 4G coverage to the UK’s most rural communities through the Shared Rural Network programme. It is wonderful to see Vodafone reach this significant milestone and I am delighted that residents and businesses in Combe will now benefit from this boost in coverage”.

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Notes to Editors

Vodafone 4G has been added to selected existing VMO2 and Three masts, as well as a number of newly built masts and with the support of infrastructure partner Cornerstone. 

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About Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester and now have 5G in locations across Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain as well as the UK. Meanwhile, our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.

Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. Vodafone is the largest provider of full fibre in the UK – our superfast broadband services are now available to nearly 12 million homes across the UK.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do: as of 1 July 2021, 100% of the grid electricity we use in the UK is certified to be from renewable sources.

For more information about Vodafone UK, please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk.

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