Farron deliver funding to deal with mobile phone 'not spots'

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the news that Cumbria has been chosen to be the first area in the country to benefit from a new scheme designed to make sure mobile phone 'not spots' are ended.

The £150m funding aims to extend mobile coverage to 60,000 homes and businesses in rural parts of the UK. The scheme will see seven new masts being installed before March 2015, with funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) shared by the four major mobile phone suppliers.

A further 17 mobile masts will follow to plug the remaining holes in mobile coverage in Cumbria. DCMS has already completed a survey of Cumbria to identify 'not spots'.

The four main operators will share new masts, which will be 2G but can be upgraded as technology evolves.

Tim said: "This is fantastic news and I am delighted that the government have listened to our representations. I know that poor mobile phone signal is a problem which still affects many homes and businesses in our area. With more people relying on mobiles, the standard of reception is becoming more and more important. I hope this funding will make a big difference to local communities throughout our county."