Virgin Media O2 successfully delivers the first Shared Rural Network Total Not Spot site connecting parts of South Uist for the first time ever

• Virgin Media O2 has successfully built the UK’s first Total Not Spot site on South Uist, delivering reliable 4G mobile signal to an area that previously had no coverage from any mobile operator
• The build marks a major milestone for the Shared Rural Network programme, as the second phase of work focused on addressing Total Not Spots begins
• The new site is welcomed by local people and will provide residents, as well as businesses and visitors, with fast and reliable mobile coverage for the first time ever

Virgin Media O2 has become the first mobile operator to successfully build a Total Not Spot (TNS) site as part of the Governnment-funded second phase of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme.

The new site on South Uist will provide signal to customers on all mobile networks and delivers reliable mobile coverage to people living and working in the villages of Balivanich, Grimsay, Liniclate, and across almost the entirety of Benbecula, for the first time. Busy roads in the area, including a 30km stretch of the A365, will also benefit from the new mast which is set to drastically improve public safety in the area.

With over 200,000 tourists visiting the Outer Hebrides every single year, the site will also benefit visitors to some of Uist’s most popular destinations, including the Ushenish Lighthouse, the Hebridean Way and the area’s Lochs. In addition, seafarers and fishermen passing through and working in an area of sea known as The Little Minch between South Uist and Skye will also benefit.

The operator delivered the site on behalf of the Government and faced significant challenges building the remote site, with bad weather conditions making delivery and access to the island exceptionally difficult. Virgin Media O2 worked closely with build partner, WHP Telecoms, to overcome these challenges and deliver the site in six weeks.

The first TNS sites comes just months after Virgin Media O2 delivered more partial not spot sites than any other operator to successfully complete the first phase of the SRN programme.

Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We are extremely proud to continue our industry-leading work which is bringing reliable mobile coverage to rural communities across the UK for the very first time. This new site in South Uist, which will bring mobile signal to local residents, major roads and visitor attractions which were previously disconnected, illustrates how the total not spot programme can transform lives when we invest in the right locations. Targeted investment like this will provide the greatest benefit to consumers, help close the rural/urban divide and deliver growth across the country.”