Mobile phone users in Brighton have poor access to a 4G signal and the slowest download speeds out of 20 of Britain’s biggest cities, according to new research.
Average 4G availability was 75.2 per cent, according to the consumer watchdog Which? using data produced by the wireless coverage mapping business OpenSignal.
Out of the 20 cities, Brighton came 20th for download speeds and 13th for 4G signal availability.
The figures ranked Britain as 54th in the world for 4G availability, using data from an earlier OpenSignal report.
Which? said: “Unique analysis of over 500 million data readings, taken from over 30,000 users of the OpenSignal app, revealed that phone users in Middlesbrough were able to access a 4G signal 82.7 per cent of the time.
“That meant it came first in our rankings of 4G availability across 20 of the biggest cities in the UK.
“Sheffield came second in our rankings, with residents able to access 4G 79.3 per cent of the time, and Sunderland was third.
“Surprisingly, London only came 16th while phone users in Bournemouth had the least chance of getting a 4G phone signal of the 20 cities we analysed, only able to access the faster speeds it offers 67.5 per cent of the time.
“However, residents of all 20 cities enjoy a better 4G experience than the UK population as a whole.
“Poorer coverage in more rural areas means that the average UK phone user can only access 4G 65.1 per cent of the time – though our analysis shows that this is getting better.
“Yet, while phone users in Middlesbrough have the best chance of getting a 4G signal, the average 4G speed that they receive – 20.8Mbps (megabits per second) – is one of the slowest that we tracked in our city-level analysis.
“And while this speed is still faster than many home broadband connections, it only placed Middlesbrough in 15th spot in our rankings.”
The average speed in Brighton was 17.6mbps, compared with 26.6mbps in Stoke, which topped the table.
The research covers the three months to the end of February.
Which? said that the next government should work with Ofcom and mobile phone providers to improve performance and service for customers.
Which? managing director of home products and services Alex Neill said: “These latest findings underline the need for Ofcom to keep the pressure on mobile operators so that every part of the country gets a decent service on their mobile phone.
“Our mobile phone is central to how we live our lives and that is why it is so frustrating when we can’t access emails or browse the internet on the go.”
Preparations are already under way to test the next generation of mobile phone technology – 5G – in Brighton.
Building work is under way at the Digital Catapult Centre, in New England House, in New England Street, Brighton.
A report to the Greater Brighton Economic Board last week said: “Building works to upgrade the Catapult have commenced, with a strip-out of the extension in New England House.
“Contracts for the national 5G testbed for small businesses have been signed and initial technical specification undertaken.
“The testbed will initially be situated within the FuseBox innovation hub in New England House but will eventually expand to cover a test area of around 200 square metres.
“The testbed project will give digital businesses, including those who build apps and content for smart phones and mobile use, the opportunity to understand how their existing products operate under 5G conditions.
“They will also be supported to develop new ideas that benefit from the significantly faster and more reliable connections that 5G can provide.
“They will be able to work with University of Brighton academics and other members of the research community as well as learning from those larger corporations who are already investigating 5G’s capabilities.
“Situating the testbed in Brighton further enhances its growing international reputation for creativity and innovation, particularly in the digital sector which now contributes over £1 billion per annum to the city’s economy.
“The Catapult’s residency programme now supports 12 start-ups, all of whom are working with emerging technologies.
“One resident – Fracture – was recently chosen to demonstrate their AR (augmented reality) technology to Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Culture and Digital at the Department for Culture, Media and Sports.
“The Catapult has received significant international interest and has hosted a number of visitors interested in its activity from Ankara, Harare and Johannesburg.”
Tomorrow (Thursday 4 May) members of the Brighton and Hove City Council Policy, Resources and Growth Committee are expected to approve a link up with West Sussex County Council to invest in ultrafast broadband.
The collaboration is aimed at winning government funding to put in place the full-fibre broadband infrastructure needed to take advantage of the latest digital advances.
The council already has a joint scheme with telecoms company BT to make free wifi available in parts of the city centre.
The “BrightonHovefreewifi” outdoor network covers the busiest areas for tourism, shopping and leisure, providing free wifi for residents, businesses and the 11.5 million people who visit each year.
A total of 40 BT wifi hotspots are available, allowing visitors and residents to get online while on the move through their smart phones, tablets and laptops.
Very interesting comparison, but what do the differences in speed across the country really matter?
If you can get 17.6 mbps in Brighton this is more than double the bit rate needed for an 1080i HD TV channel – what speed do you actually need for mobile access?
Isn’t this plenty fast enough for mobile access if you can apparently get up to 300 mbps from Virgin Media or 76 mbps for fibre to your home.