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Glen Coe phone mast site 'UK's highest'

Virgin Media O2 Helicopter being used in construction of 4G mast in Glen CoeVirgin Media O2
A helicopter was used in the construction of the mast

The UK's highest phone mast has been installed in the Highlands, according to Virgin Media 02.

The communications company has built the mast at snowsports and mountain biking centre, Glencoe Mountain Resort.

The 4G mast is 1,108m (3,635ft) above sea level and a helicopter was needed during its construction.

It was installed as part of the £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN), which was set up to tackle "not spots", areas with poor or no mobile phone coverage.

Virgin Media O2 Phone mast in Glen CoeVirgin Media O2
The mast is at a site 1,108m above sea level

SRN is a joint initiative between mobile network operators and the UK government to extend 4G connectivity to 95% of the UK’s landmass by the end of 2025.

But there has been criticism of some proposed mast sites for "total not spots" in remote and rural areas of Scotland.

The mast has been installed in Glen Coe to tackle a partial not spot, and is Virgin Media O2's 227th SRN site.

Chief technology officer Jeanie York said: "This work is vital in tackling the urban-rural digital divide that exists in the UK.”

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