Improved mobile connectivity could help create 49,000 new businesses across the UK and add £6.6bn a year to the economy within a decade, according to research commissioned by VodafoneThree. The modelling, carried out by consultancy WPI Strategy, suggests that stronger and more reliable mobile coverage would unlock entrepreneurship in underserved areas, driving long-term economic growth by 2036.
Mobile connectivity across the UK is becoming faster and more responsive on average; a marked gap still persists between the quality of experience in urban and rural areas; and the gap between the best and worst-performing local authorities remains significant, according to research from Ookla. The analyst's Speedtest Intelligence report for 2025 takes an overview of mobile network performance across the UK, focusing on outcomes at local authority level and how those outcomes have changed over time. The study was based on millions of samples from mobile devices connected to a cellular network, comparing results from Q1-Q3 2025 with the same period in 2024. For each local authority, the report considered not only typical speeds, but also the experience of slower connections, and the relationship between population density and mobile outcomes.
They are the scourge of the modern commute: passengers who play music or videos out loud. But amid widespread disapproval from fellow travellers, Transport for London (TfL) is trying to appeal to the better nature of headphone dodgers by asking them to be considerate and plug in. The new posters, which will start to appear on the Elizabeth line this week and on other TfL services, including London buses, in the autumn remind travellers to use headphones when listening to music or making calls.
T-Mobile has launched its T-Satellite service powered by Starlink, marking the world's largest satellite-to-mobile network, enabling SMS connectivity even without traditional cell service.
A working internet connection abroad isn't the luxury it once was; reliable data can make the difference between a stressful arrival and a smooth start to your trip.
As we look ahead to the next decade of mobile connectivity, now is a good time to consider how security needs could evolve: Advancements in connectivity, compute and AI bring unprecedented opportunities, but they also demand robust security measures to protect our digital future.
