An end to Cumbria’s erratic mobile phone coverage and high-speed broadband gaps is on the cards, according to the county’s Chamber of Commerce.

This is because the Government’s Digital Strategy, which was launched by Culture Secretary Karen Bradley this week, promises major enhancements in telecoms infrastructure, including a “universal service obligation” for high-speed broadband.

Under the plans every person and business in the UK will have the right to request an affordable high-speed broadband connection of at least 10Mbps, wherever they are in the country.

The strategy states that this has to be delivered by 2020.

In addition, by the end of this year, 98 per cent of the UK’s land mass has to have access to a 4G mobile signal.

Rob Johnston, chief executive of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, said: “We think it will work rather like the universal service obligation that applies to the Royal Mail, which has to deliver post to a remote Cumbrian farmhouse for the same price as it would deliver a letter in central London.”

The strategy promises to provide free training for adults in England who lack basic digital skills, just as there is free help for those who can’t read or struggle with basic maths.


Rob Johnston Mr Johnston said: “We think that’s right because digital skills are vital. The report says that, within 20 years, 90 per cent of all jobs will require some element of digital skills – and my hunch is that it will be even more than that.”

The strategy aims to help businesses make the most of digital technology – as a minimum that they have a web site, sell online, use the cloud and digitise functions such as payroll.

Mr Johnston added: “It’s surprising how far we still have to go in that respect.

“Only 22 per cent of SMEs engage in e-commerce, for example, and only a quarter of businesses use software and apps for accounting.”

Michael Bell, managing director of baker Bell’s of Lazonby, said: “We have customers who visit our site and they can’t get a mobile phone signal.

“That’s embarrassing and needs sorting out.”