Rural areas around Ashford and Canterbury are set to get a major boost to their 4G coverage from one of the major mobile phone networks.

EE, owned by BT, says it will upgrade nine sites in the areas as part of the Shared Rural Network programme.

That is a scheme agreed by four networks and the government designed to enhance 4G coverage to areas previously overlooked by the end of the decade.

Although carried out at EE sites, users of Three, O2 and Vodafone will all benefit as the networks will now share EE's masts.

It forms part of a nationwide programme which will see 579 locations upgraded this year.

Locations to benefit this year will be Godmersham, High Halden and Tenterden, near Ashford and Bishopsboroune and Littlebourne, near Canterbury. In addition, there are two sites benefitting in both Sturry and Kingston, both also near Canterbury.

Matt Warman, Minister for Digital Infrastructure, said: "We're investing half a billion pounds in this landmark deal to extend mobile coverage to 95 per cent of the UK and it will help us build back better from the pandemic."

Philip Jansen, chief executive of BT Group, said: “Reliable connectivity is important wherever you live, work or travel, and we’re committed to improving and adding coverage to even the most remote areas. The investment BT has made in rural areas to date means we already have the infrastructure in place needed to extend our 4G coverage footprint further, minimising the number of new sites we need to build. There are many places where EE is the only provider with 4G coverage today, offering the other operators an opportunity to share our existing sites to plug gaps in their networks and improve mobile performance for everyone.”

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