Boris Johnson will pledge to fast-track plans to boost mobile phone coverage in rural areas if his party is re-elected.
The prime minister will today (27 November) announce a plan to boost the mobile signal for more than 9 million people in the country's rural areas.
The proposal would be fast-tracked in the first 100 days in the event of a Tory general election victory.
Mr Johnson will set out a plan for a 'Shared Rural Network' which would see new masts built and existing infrastructure shared between the four mobile phone providers – 02, Three, Vodafone and EE.
The additional coverage would be extended to 280,000 homes and businesses and 16,000km of roads.
He will claim this would ensure 4G service, for all customers, regardless of their provider, across almost all of the UK, virtually eradicating the not-spots that exist in some rural areas – where 'No Service' plagues mobile phones.
It is understood the plan will see operators pay up to £530 million to get rid of partial not-spots.
He will pledge that a Conservative majority government will add a further £500 million to build new infrastructure in rural areas that are not commercially viable.
The plan will also upgrade the emergency service network in the countryside to open it up for consumers, with no loss of capacity for the emergency services.
The Countryside Alliance, a group which has campaigned on the issue of poor mobile phone coverage, welcomed the pledge.
The group's Sarah Lee said: “For far too long the countryside has been left behind when it comes to mobile connectivity.
“Today's announcement from Boris Johnson, for a shared rural network fast-tracked within 100 days, will be music to ears of many rural people. It would provide much needed coverage, boosting our rural economy, and connecting communities.
“This much needed connectivity must be delivered swiftly with the government holding operators to account if they fail to meet the coverage obligations.”
