Demands to improve rural connectivity after storms
Getty ImagesDemands have been made to improve communication technology in rural areas following Storm Éowyn.
Cumbrian MPs met telecoms providers and mobile network operators in Parliament this week, telling them to "step up and invest" after power cuts left people with no way to communicate.
Labour's Josh MacAlister, who represents Whitehaven and Workington, said: "We don't think enough is being done to improve connectivity in rural areas of Cumbria or to respond quickly when issues occur."
Trade association Mobile UK said the industry was "exploring new ways" to provide temporary coverage or back-up power sources to impacted areas.
Thousands of homes were left without power during Storm Éowyn in January.
Issues were exacerbated by the digital phone line switchover, MacAlister said.
People had been switched from physical copper-based landlines to internet-based services as part of larger roll-out.
MacAlister said rural areas where the mobile signal was reliant on one mast and where landlines had been changed to connect via the internet were left with "no way to communicate" during power cuts.
He called for improvements such as battery back up at masts.
"We also want to see more data sharing across the system," MacAlister said. "This should be happening already."
'Extreme weather'
Mobile UK director of policy and communications Gareth Elliot said its operators had worked "around the clock" to repair damaged equipment "as quickly as possible after the unprecedented wind speeds of Storm Éowyn".
He said the mobile industry had already taken "important steps to improve resiliency during extreme weather events".
Work included installing masts to provide overlapping coverage where possible.
Many of the UK's mobile operators are developing self-powering mobile mast sites so that connectivity is not entirely reliant on power companies to provide electricity, Mobile UK said.
The energy regulator Ofgem said its local network investment plan for 2028 to 2032 would require upgrades and reinforcements to withstand more regular extreme weather events.
A spokesperson for Electricity North West said it "relies on resilient mobile networks" to communicate with customers during incidents.
"We completely support the need for mobile operators to provide increased resilience of phone masts."
MacAlistair said MPs had convened a further meeting with the utility companies at the start of June "to check on progress".