Mobile data coverage in UK

[EirSurvey]

I'm looking at introducing a data service in the UK which would allow users with poor mobile data coverage or limited data plans to perform web searches by SMS.

In the US over 20 million mobile phone users fall into this category, so I'd be interested to get some feedback on how big an issue this might be in the UK.

Any feedback would be welcome.

 

[Scalloway]

It could be a goer in some rural areas but EE have announced that they plan 4g to cover 99.8% of the UK population by 2020 so your idea might have a limited timespan.

 

[NuBlue]

For my own smartphone, I've recently had Three, GiffGaff (O2) and EE sims. At home and the office, Three's data connection was poor, O2's great at home but very poor at the office while EE gives me a weak but tolerable 4G signal in both places. The point being that no matter where you are, there's probably one of the providers with poor coverage.

Lack of or a limited data plan would be a good reason for people to use it but would I? No.

I think in the UK we are getting used to having fairly good data deals and decent coverage so rather than revert to an SMS service, we're more likely to lean out of the office window, walk up the road, etc to get a data connection because we think we'll always be close to one.

 

[EirSurvey]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yes I realise the UK market is probably more sophisticated and better served than perhaps the US market, so I think we should offer a different USP (not poor data coverage) in the UK.

The vision is to evolve this service into a virtual personal assistant type of service offering voice services as well as a SMS search facility - this would be more appealing to a more sophisticated market.

But we believe there's room for both depending on the market.

 

[Mr A P Davies]

Apart from somewhere around the top end of Scotland, I think Rural Wales has some of the worst coverage in the UK.
It's certainly pretty poor round my way, not even the glimmer of a phone signal , on any network, in plenty of places.
Lately, BT have been putting fibre optics in, which helps a little bit for landline internet.
I just about manage to run with a dongle, it's about 80% reliable.
Thing is, I can just pop down the road with my laptop if I'm really desperate.
In my opinion, which probably doesn't account for a great deal, I don't think there would be a great market for what you are considering, at least in this area.
Very thin population, not a great deal of internet usage, many folks don't even use mobile phones.
Things are a bit more 21st century in town, but they haven't got black spots.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I think that its a good product for people on the move The statement of bad data coverage in Scotland does this thread no justice , There is very bad data coverage in the UK I find . I also think that if you have a blackspot to sate your location my would be Exeter city centre on o2 !!

 

[RPower]

@Mr A P Davies Totally agree about rural Wales, it's horrendous!

I think there's a market for it in poor coverage areas, certainly. So much handier than having no access at all. I'd say you would want to market it well though.