Gary Clark

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has welcomed new Ofcom plans to improve mobile services in the UK.

The communications regulator is proposing to place coverage obligations on mobile network operators in a bid to provide improved 4G mobile coverage in rural areas.

The move follows the publication of FSB research highlighting the need for Scotland-specific coverage.

Garry Clark, the organisation’s development manager for the East of Scotland, said: “Small businesses rely on the availability of good mobile phone and data coverage to do business.

“It is vital both to business and the customer but Scotland’s mobile connectivity, particularly in rural areas, has been stuck in the slow lane.

“Ofcom’s announcement that they will place coverage obligations on the big four operators could be transformational for the economy.”

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Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.