New law Rural mobile phone customers who can’t get a signal can rip up their contracts

MOBILE PHONE users trapped in lengthy contracts are to be given the power to rip them up if they can’t get a signal where they live or work.

The consumer victory is great news for rural homeowners who suffer from some of the worst signal black-spots in the UK.

Many people living in remote areas of the country rely on signal boosters to be able to get calls.

But changes set to be

introduced by the Westminster Government mean they will no longer have to be trapped in lengthy deals, paying for a poor service.

Drew Hendry, SNP MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, who has campaigned on the issue, welcomed the news.

He said: “It’s a fantastic victory for mobile phone users, especially those in rural areas like my constituency.”

Many mobile phone customers often enter into a contract for 18 or 24 months, paying a monthly fee in return for a discounted or free handset.

Problems arise if they then discover a poor signal in their home or office and can’t get out of the deal with their provider.

The imminent change will bring thousands of mobile users in step with broadband and landline customers, who can escape at any time if their provider fails to provide a sufficiently reliable service.

Ed Vaizey, Tory minister for culture and the digital economy, and regulator Ofcom said the rule switch was imminent.

Mr Vaizey said: “I agree that having access to reliable mobile coverage is vital for consumers, businesses and the economy.

“The suggestion made that mobile customers ought to be able to leave their contract if the service is unacceptable, is a good one.

“Mobile customers should not be trapped in contracts if they have no effective signal and an unusable service.

“My officials will work with Ofcom to identify what needs to be done.”

In a letter to Mr Hendry, Ofcom chief executive Sharon White said she agreed that “mobile customers should be allowed to exit their contract if they find the service they were promised isn’t provided”.

Last year, a deal was struck in an effort to cut the number of areas with no mobile coverage by nearly two-thirds.

The UK Government secured a £5bn agreement from O2, EE, Three and Vodafone to reduce the number of areas with partial signals and ‘not-spots’.

A spokesman for EE said: “We are working with the Scottish Government to ensure delivery of wider coverage in Scotland.”

An interactive map of Britain is also to be published pinpointing mobile black-spots that will allow new customers to work out which providers offer the best and worst signal.

A spokesman for Vodafone said: “We recognise the importance of mobile connectivity, which is why we spent more than £1bn last year on our network across the country and will spend a similar amount this year.

“We have also pledged to provide coverage to 98% of the UK population using our 2G, 3G or 4G services, alongside a 90% geographical reach.

“However, we are also very aware that, in certain areas of the UK, we may struggle to deliver the level of coverage our customers expect.”

In Scotland, there are currently around 14,000 premises without basic 2G coverage.

A recent report also revealed 3G coverage from all four providers only reaches 78.9% of Scotland.