UK survey: 4 in 10 adults face mobile signal issues on the move

The Story

A survey commissioned by property consultancy Cluttons and conducted by YouGov found that more than four in 10 people in the UK struggle to access 4G or 5G on their mobile devices for at least half the time they are traveling. The poll of over 2,000 digital device users reported that 45% felt frustrated with mobile connectivity outside the home at least once a week, with that figure rising to 57% among 18- to 24-year-olds. At home, 27% of respondents were frustrated with their wifi connection at least once a week. The UK’s mobile download speeds have declined, slipping to 59th globally last year, down from 53rd in 2024 and 51st in 2023, while fixed-line speeds rank 44th. The survey also included a separate poll of 103 MPs, 21% of whom were contacted at least weekly by residents with broadband issues. Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, chair of the digital communities all-party parliamentary group, stated that poor connectivity constrains productivity and competitiveness, especially in rural areas. Economic modelling by Assembly Research found that increasing mobile coverage along railways to 80% from the current 50% could unlock nearly £3bn in productivity gains over the next decade.

Key Facts

• Survey of 2,000+ UK digital device users by YouGov for Cluttons.
• 45% frustrated with mobile connectivity outside home at least once a week; 57% for 18-24 year olds.
• 27% frustrated with home wifi at least once a week.
• UK mobile download speed rank dropped to 59th from 53rd in 2024 and 51st in 2023.
• UK fixed-line download speed rank is 44th globally.
• 21% of 103 MPs polled contacted weekly by residents about broadband.
• Full-fibre/gigabit coverage: UK 86%, Germany 80%, Italy 73%, France 86%, Spain 100%.
• Critics say network rollout focused on easier-to-access, more profitable areas.
• Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat MP, chair of digital communities APPG) commented.
• Assembly Research modelling: raising railway mobile coverage to 80% from 50% could unlock £3bn productivity gains and 66m hours of passenger productivity by 2035.
• Government announced low-earth satellite tech will be rolled out on more than 1,400 trains.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

The article does not specify the exact criteria for “struggling to access” 4G/5G at least half the time, nor does it detail the survey methodology beyond the sample size.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat MP, chair of the digital communities all-party parliamentary group)
• Cluttons (property consultancy)
• YouGov (polling company)
• ISPreview UK (analyst)
• Assembly Research (economic modeller)

Sources: The Guardian