As the Moon receives 4G, west London residents continue battling for basic network coverage

While 4G connectivity is being introduced on the Moon, residents of the Ashburton Estate in west London are left grappling with poor mobile signal, a persistent issue for many. Fleur Anderson, the MP for Putney, has been campaigning for five years to get more phone masts installed in the area, yet many residents still find themselves without reliable network access.

One local, David Henderson, has lived near the Ashburton Estate for two decades and describes the area as a “dead zone” for phone reception. As mobile phones have replaced landlines as the primary communication tool, this lack of signal has become an even greater inconvenience. “All my friends try to call me on my mobile, but they just can’t get through,” says Henderson, explaining the frustration of not being able to access basic services like banking, which rely on phone signal.

The lack of phone coverage extends beyond personal communication, with many unable to receive essential text messages, such as those needed for two-factor authentication for online services. Delivery companies also struggle to reach residents, as contact by phone is often impossible.

This is not a problem isolated to Putney. A 2023 report by Ofcom revealed that 7% of the UK still lacks 4G coverage, and a study by Opensignal highlighted the country’s poor 5G speeds. London itself faces greater difficulties in constructing new phone masts compared to other regions in the UK, as shown by a report from London Centric.

Despite these challenges, there is some hope for improvement. Following consultations with various telecom companies, Vodafone has agreed to install phone masts on rooftops in the area. While the installation is in the planning stages, residents are optimistic that this will soon improve their connectivity.

The journey to resolve these connectivity issues has been slow, despite various government efforts, such as Boris Johnson’s 2019 pledge to invest £1bn in improving mobile signal in rural areas. However, recent government decisions to scale back plans for new masts have left many questioning the speed of progress.

For now, residents of the Ashburton Estate will continue to wait, hopeful that better signal is on the horizon.