Shared Rural Network expansion removes Islay not-spots

In a further boost to the UK government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN) roll-out scheme, a publicly funded 4G mast has gone live on the Scottish island of Islay, addressing one of Scotland’s most persistent mobile not-spots and bringing mobile service from all operators to parts of the island that previously had no signal from any operator.

The site was built by UK mobile leader EE, and will deliver commercial coverage from all of the country’s mobile operators to island residents, businesses and visitors across parts of Kilchoman, Machrie, Rockside, Aruadh, Ballinaby, Smaull, Braigo, Sanaigmore, Carnduncan, Grainel, Lyrabus, Gruinart and Craigens. It also provides new coverage to 14km of roads, paths and tracks.

For the first time, what is said to be reliable 4G from all operators is now available at key locations, including Machir Bay, Saligo Bay, Loch Gorm and Cultoon Stone Circle, as well as along the western coast of Islay. EE says this increased coverage improves safety for those travelling or working in remote areas, including seafarers and fishermen passing by and working near the island.

Island communities have long experienced mobile coverage challenges, and addressing total not-spots is a key focus of the £1.3bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme. Launched in 2020, the SRN is a joint initiative between the government and the UK’s mobile network operators – EE and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), as well as Three and Vodafone before their merger – to extend 4G connectivity to 95% of the UK’s landmass by the end of 2025. The founding principle is that through both public and private investment, new and existing phone masts will be built or upgraded across the UK to close down so-called rural mobile not-spots.

Under the scheme, the four operators committed to improving 4G coverage and levelling up connectivity across the UK, which has seen them invest in a shared network of new and existing phone masts, overseen by jointly owned company Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited. The operators’ £532m investment has been complemented by more than £501m in government funding.

The SRN is also seeing UK government investment of £184m to upgrade extended area service (EAS) masts – originally built to support the Emergency Services Network – to provide coverage from all four mobile operators. Mobile operators have invested more than £500m to target “partial not-spots” across the UK, where customers can only access 4G if they are signed up with a mobile network operator that is active in the area.

The new mast on Islay is located near Kilchoman, on the west of the island, and was delivered under the publicly funded total not-spot element of the SRN programme. The mast on Islay was first identified as a potential site under the Scottish Government’s S4GI programme, which funded acquisition activities such as securing planning and landowner consents.

The coverage has been described as important by local business Kilchoman Distillery. “I think people on the mainland take reliable 4G connectivity for granted, but we certainly don’t,” said Islay Heads, the distillery’s general manager. “From a business perspective, our visitors are now able to post reviews and photos before they leave the site, something guests often forgot to do before, as they had to wait until they had a mobile signal.

“We can also now run live presentations and tastings from areas outside the distillery, which allows more people to see how our traditional farm distilling process works,” he added. “It makes our ability to communicate with suppliers and team members much quicker as well. In modern business, these sorts of efficiencies are important to our overall success as a local enterprise and international brand.”

Ben Roome, CEO of SRN delivery partner Mova, said: “People want a connection they can rely on, wherever they are. In less-populated, rural areas, modern 4G does that brilliantly. This site brings mobile broadband to parts of Islay that haven’t had it, making day‑to‑day life a bit easier for the people who live, work and visit.”

The second total not-spot site follows the first going live on Uist, and the December 2025 announcement of all mobile operators delivering public coverage from 100 shared EAS masts. In addition to the two total not-spots (TNS) sites live in Scotland, there are also 41 EAS Scottish sites live which make use of existing Home Office emergency services masts to support commercial coverage from all operators. More TNS and EAS sites in rural areas across Scotland are projected to go live in the coming months.