A Qualitative Exploration of the Benefits and Challenges of 4G Connectivity in Rural Scotland

Question 1

1. Executive Summary

Accepted Answer

This qualitative research explores the benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity and the required infrastructure in rural areas through eight semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders employed in rural areas in Scotland and experience working within areas such as tourism and conservation. It also includes a literature review into the benefits of connectivity in rural areas, with a focus on Scottish National Parks.

Some of the key benefits identified through the research were:

Public safety: access to 4G connectivity was likely to increase the sense of safety felt by visitors in remote areas, but there were mixed views on the extent to which this could translate into actual safety benefits. Whilst connectivity could enable better access to public safety mechanisms e.g. navigation programmes or calling for help, respondents highlighted that this could result in visitors underestimating the risks of undertaking activities in these areas.
Tackling rural crime: mobile connectivity could be used for surveillance and other methods to address rural crimes such as fly tipping.
Public information and education: improved connectivity could provide visitors with up-to date information through the use of QR codes or apps, which could also provide historical and cultural information about the area. This was felt to also have a conservational benefit, with visitors deemed more likely to take care of their surroundings if they have a certain level of knowledge. It could also be used for visitor reporting, such as sightings of certain plant of animal species to support biodiversity monitoring, or reporting maintenance issues to allow for this to be addressed more quickly.
Visitor experience: a lack of connectivity could result in practical issues such as an ability for visitors to pay for facilities such as parking, impacting the visitor experience and income generation. Improved connectivity was also thought to have potential for additional income generation through contactless donation points. However, several respondents expressed concern that 4G would negatively impact visitor experience, with a lack of connectivity being part of the appeal of remote areas as well as the visual impact of the physical infrastructure.
Communication: constant, reliable communication was seen as a benefit for managing visitor flow in National Parks, as well as from a safety perspective. This could support a more sustainable approach to tourism.
Environmental monitoring and management: participants noted multiple uses for 4G, one of which was virtual fences. These could control the movements of animals such as cattle, preventing overgrazing and reducing the need for physical fences and labour in moving herds otherwise. Connectivity was also seen as beneficial for remote environmental monitoring, including monitoring of water quality, flood management, and sources of ammonia run-off. However, there were concerns about overreliance on remote monitoring, as well as the environmental impact of building and maintaining 4G infrastructure. Overall, it was felt the environmental monitoring benefits were insufficient to warrant the installation of infrastructure in the local area.

The research also identified a number of challenges relating to the delivery of 4G in remote areas in Scotland. These are summarised, along with recommendations, in the table below:

Challenge	Recommendation
A lack of clarity around the purpose of the programme in remote, unpopulated areas, and a sense it was target driven.	Further communication to convey the purpose/benefits of installing 4G infrastructure, beyond the aim of meeting targets.
Lack of adherence to planning guidance, with insufficient information for planning committees to make relevant assessments on approving infrastructure build.	Include details and justifications in planning applications to assess sites on a case-by-case basis rather than uniformly, taking into consideration the variation between different sites. Site-specific information required to enable a sufficient assessment of planned infrastructure development.
Lack of consultation with local communities who had a greater understanding of the areas directly affected by the programme.	Conduct further consultation with local communities/ authorities in order to fully assess proposed mast locations throughout planning of TNS delivery.
Concern that 4G was not the most appropriate solution in these areas, and that careful consideration is needed to find the approach that reflects the unique needs of an area.	Adopt a broader approach to the aim of tackling the digital divide beyond access to 4G mobile connectivity. Undertake an exploration into the use of alternative technologies to achieve this aim and acknowledging the need for solution variation to reflect differences in need and impact.

Question 2

2. Introduction

Accepted Answer

This research aims to explore the benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity and the required infrastructure in rural areas in Scotland through eight semi-structured interviews with a focus on National Parks.

This report provides an overview of the programme background, an explanation of the research rationale and relevant context. A comprehensive literature review is provided, offering insight into current evidence on the benefits of mobile connectivity in rural areas, which also helped shape the research questions.

The report outlines the methodology used for data collection and analysis. The findings section presents respondents’ views on the potential advantages and drawbacks of 4G connectivity. The report concludes with a discussion of key barriers identified by respondents and offers a series of actionable recommendations.

2.1 Programme Background

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) is a government initiative aiming to deliver reliable mobile broadband to 95% of the UK, addressing the digital divide by improving 4G coverage in the areas that need it most. The programme is a collaborative agreement between the government and the UK’s four Mobile Network Operators (MNOs): EE, O2, Three and Vodafone.

By upgrading their existing networks and working together on shared infrastructure and new sites, the MNOs and Government will transform mobile coverage in rural areas. Individually, each operator will reach 90% geographic coverage, which will result in 84% of the UK having 4G coverage from all four operators, increasing choice and boosting productivity in rural areas. To deliver the programme, MNOs will eliminate the majority of ‘partial not-spots’ – areas which receive coverage from at least one, but not all, operators. The UK Government will provide further funding to build new masts to eliminate ‘total not-spots’ – hard to reach areas where there is currently no coverage at all.^{[footnote 1]} The elimination of total not-spots is a two-pronged approach, one aspect of this involves a collaboration with the Home Office to upgrade Extended Area Services (EAS) masts being built across the UK as part of the Emergency Services Network Programme. This will allow the masts to offer commercial connectivity as well as emergency services coverage. The other aspect of this is the installation of 4G infrastructure in total not-spots through the Total Not Spot (TNS) project within the SRN programme, which will be the focus of this piece of research.

Government funding is being invested in Scotland to target rural areas with some of the lowest levels of connectivity in the UK, with commitments to improve coverage in rural areas of Scotland which cannot be delivered without the building of new infrastructure.^{[footnote 2]} MNOs have been working closely with local communities, landowners and Local Planning Authorities to ensure new mast locations are carefully considered. However, since planning has been underway, concerns have been raised by local communities and organisations surrounding planning proposals for TNS sites, many of which are located within Scotland’s two National Parks: Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, and the Cairngorms. These concerns are underpinned by the visual and environmental impacts of 4G infrastructure in these rural areas and a perception that these outweigh the benefits that mobile connectivity can bring due to the less populated nature of these areas in comparison to other mast sites.

2.2 Research Rationale

This research aims to further explore the potential benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity in rural areas by expanding on existing knowledge of qualitative benefits, as well as exploring new benefits and disbenefits which are more specific to National Parks.

This research proposal was underpinned by three key aspects: increasing an understanding of known qualitative benefits; exploring emerging evidence indicating environmental benefits of mobile connectivity in rural areas; and investigating potential challenges and disbenefits of delivering the TNS element of the SRN programme.

BDUK has identified a variety of potential benefits that mobile connectivity could bring to rural areas, such as available qualitative evidence which indicates a link between digital connectivity and tourism. This might include enhancing the visitor experience, aiding difficulties with navigation and locating amenities, all of which can encourage tourists to visit or return to these areas. This prompted further exploration into the benefits that mobile connectivity could bring to more rural areas, in terms of tourism and more widely.

BDUK identified a gap in the evidence base on environmental benefits, which required further investigation. A growing amount of evidence has emerged in this area, demonstrating a wide range of environmental benefits that connectivity could have for mitigating the negative impacts of climate change and tackling the climate emergency.

In 2023, the John Muir Trust released a joint statement supported by several other organisations in rural Scotland outlining key concerns with the proposed infrastructure building plans in TNS sites:^{[footnote 3]}

Geographic rather than needs-based target
Landscape and wildlife impacts
Lack of detail in planning applications
Lack of meaningful community consultation

One of the key concerns repeatedly raised was that the programme’s geographic target would result in masts being built in remote, rural areas where there were no people or businesses to reap the benefits. The statement claimed that without the needs-based focus, the costs and potential impacts associated with 4G infrastructure were unjustifiable. This prompted the need for further exploration into the potential benefits and disbenefits of 4G connectivity in less populated rural areas to investigate concerns surrounding the geographic target approach.

2.3 Research Background

To better understand the concerns and potential benefits of mobile connectivity, it was necessary to explore the advantages and challenges of TNS. Before this research, an initial proposal aimed to investigate the experiences of estates that benefited from the Scottish 4G Infill Programme^{[footnote 4]} and their interaction with 4G infrastructure development.^{[footnote 5]} Due to technical challenges the research was unable to go ahead and so the proposal was rescoped to adopt a more benefits driven approach with a specific focus on National Parks.

Question 3

3. Literature review

Accepted Answer

This section provides an overview of findings from existing literature surrounding the benefits of mobile connectivity in rural areas, with a focus on Scottish National Parks. This builds on existing evidence surrounding the benefits of 4G coverage in rural areas and was used to help inform and shape the research questions. This section begins with an overview of National Parks in Scotland and will explore how connectivity is currently being or could potentially be used in the future to enhance activities and processes taking place, separated into two key areas: rural tourism and environmental management.

3.1 National Parks

At a combined size of over 5,000 square km and accounting for 7.2% of the country’s land area,^{[footnote 6]} Scotland’s two National Parks are home to impressive mountain ranges and lochs, a multitude of species and several classified Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Scotland’s National Parks vary to those found in other countries including England and Wales, as they consist of privately rather than state owned land. With over 30,000 people living across the two, these National Parks play a major role in local communities from contributing to the economy, supporting development and tackling the climate emergency.^{[footnote 7]}

In 2000, The National Parks (Scotland) Act was passed into law. This legislation outlines protocol regarding infrastructure building and development and allows for the creation of National Park Authorities (NPA). It is the responsibility of the NPA’s to assess and give approval to planning applications and manage development projects within the park. The Act also outlines four key aims or purposes of National Parks which must be balanced when determining planning applications:^{[footnote 8]}

to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area
to promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area
to promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public
to promote the sustainable economic and social development of the areas’ communities

The Act specifies that if there is conflict between the purposes, greater weight should be given to the purpose of conserving natural and cultural heritage.

Due to the enhanced levels of regulation for development within National Parks, applications which do not contribute to or negatively impact the aims of National Parks are highly unlikely to be accepted. This could present a significant barrier to SRN rollout if NPAs do not deem the mast installation required for mobile connectivity as beneficial to National Parks’ purposes.

3.2 Rural Tourism

The tourism industry is essential to Scotland’s economy, contributing more than £4 billion every year and is particularly significant in more rural areas where tourism related enterprises are over-represented compared to the national average.^{[footnote 9]} The tourism sector in Scotland provides a large proportion of job opportunities, accounting for 8.5% of total employment in Scotland in 2022.^{[footnote 10]} Spending on nature-based tourism is estimated to contribute nearly 40% of all tourism spend, supporting 39,000 full time equivalent jobs.^{[footnote 11]}

Tourism is an essential aspect of National Parks within Scotland, offering visitors a range of activities from swimming, hiking, mountain biking, paddle boarding and many more.^{[footnote 12]} Aside from the direct income generated from visitor spending, tourism brings a variety of benefits to National Parks and their communities such as employment, diversification of the economy, and promoting respect and awareness for culture and conservation.

3.3 Visitor Experience and Connectivity

The impact of mobile connectivity on visitor experience is difficult to estimate due to the variety of motivations for visiting National Parks and the range of activities available. Findings from Scotland’s National Parks 2019/2020 visitor surveys revealed that mobile connectivity received particularly low satisfaction ratings from guests in comparison to other aspects of their visit. In the Cairngorms, less than half of respondents (47%) gave a positive rating for mobile phone reception, with 22% rating this negatively.^{[footnote 13]} Similarly, in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, 20% of respondents rated mobile phone connection as ‘Poor’.^{[footnote 14]} Despite these being slight improvements from 2015/2016 survey results, these findings suggest that lack of mobile connectivity remains a significant area of low satisfaction for visitors. This is consistent with a more general Visit Scotland survey which showed that ‘Greater 3G/ 4G/ mobile coverage’ was rated by visitors as fourth among 17 suggestions of what could have improved their trip (9% of respondents), after ‘lower costs’, ‘better roads’ and ‘better/ free WiFi’.^{[footnote 15]} While these findings indicate a notable appetite for greater access to connectivity, there is conflict in attitudes within the wider literature, with one study exploring tourism globally revealing that up to 50% of tourists have some desire to disconnect.^{[footnote 16]} Other studies have echoed this sentiment, particularly within nature-based tourism where visitors perceive constant access to connectivity as a barrier to being able to relax or fully enjoy the experience.^{[footnote 17]}

3.4 Public Safety and Rural Crime

Public safety is a key aspect of consideration within Scotland’s National Parks, particularly due to the remoteness of these areas and sometimes dangerous nature of activities taking place. There is a distinct lack of consensus within the literature surrounding the effectiveness of mobile connectivity for enhancing public safety within National Parks. Several sources indicate mobile connectivity as a vital element for ensuring safety in rural areas, with accounts from residents in a town in the Highlands explaining how black spots of connectivity have resulted in numerous tourists being stranded over the years.^{[footnote 18]} The West Highland Way, a popular long-distance walking route in the Highlands has published official advice urging visitors to bring their mobile phones while exploring these rural areas. The advice outlines the benefits of this to enable easy access to emergency services, location tracking, communication with others and weather and safety information.^{[footnote 19]} The use of connectivity can also be beneficial for tackling rural crime, as demonstrated in a trial in Wales which used connectivity-reliant sensors to identify and respond to anti-social behaviour.^{[footnote 20]} However, others have raised concerns with the rationalization of safety to justify building 4G infrastructure, instead emphasizing individual responsibility and the ethos of “equipping people with the skills to be safe in the mountains, rather than making the mountains safe for people”.^{[footnote 21]} The evidence surrounding the potential safety benefit is largely anecdotal, subjective to individual experience and the lack of consensus within the literature indicates an area which requires further exploration.

3.5 Sustainable Tourism

Some evidence suggests the growing use of connectivity for supporting sustainable tourism approaches and the ability to prevent significant environmental damage caused by overtourism.^{[footnote 22]} Through the use of connectivity-enabled sensors alongside the Internet of Things (IoT), various aspects of visitor activity can be monitored, allowing for the more sustainable management of National Parks. Examples of this include monitoring visitor footfall and car park capacity to prevent the overuse and degradation of popular routes and relieve pressure on the parks.^{[footnote 23]}^{[footnote 24]} While the adoption of technology in natural tourism can provide various social, economic, and environmental benefits, another study has highlighted the potential for adverse effects, such as increased damage to natural areas due to unmanageable surges in visitor numbers and an increase in off-trail activity.^{[footnote 25]}

3.6 Environmental monitoring and management

Scotland’s National Parks play a crucial role in environmental conservation, reflected in both the Cairngorms’^{[footnote 26]} and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs’^{[footnote 27]} Action Plans which emphasise the prioritisation of tackling the climate crisis. Both parks carry out a variety of environmental functions including ecosystem restoration, wildlife and habitat conservation and the promotion of biodiversity. Despite the increased prioritisation on managing the causes and impacts of climate change, a State of Scotland report claimed that “what is needed to reverse these declines is still far from being commensurate with the scale and pace of the crisis”^{[footnote 28]}. As the threat of the climate emergency intensifies, so does the demand for new approaches, with recent literature shifting focus to the viability of technology to achieve these aims.^{[footnote 29]}

An increasing number of studies over recent years have indicated the potential benefits that 4G connectivity could bring in tackling the climate crisis and supporting environmental functions more efficiently and at a lower cost. It is important to note that the digitalization of conservation efforts poses potential risks such as issues around ethical use, machine dysfunction and de-skilling.^{[footnote 30]}

3.7 Ecosystem Restoration

One example of this is a pilot study carried out in Scotland’s Western Isles which utilised new technologies to create a more cost-effective approach to peatland regeneration.^{[footnote 31]} The trial used remote sensors alongside the Internet of Things to gather accurate live data on the health of peatland areas and was successful in reducing costs and environmental impacts as well as improving the quality and timeliness of data.

Additionally, a trial by Forestry England used sensors attached to oak trees to measure a range of variables from tree growth, air and soil temperature, air humidity and soil moisture content. This valuable data can allow for trends to be spotted in order to manage forests more effectively and maximise the amount of carbon trees are absorbing from the atmosphere.^{[footnote 32]} Another example of this is collecting data in woodland areas to identify and assess threats such as pine weevils and manage accordingly to prevent woodland degradation.^{[footnote 33]}

3.8 Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Protection

The use of sensors and IoT can be used to monitor a range of variables which impact the habitats of endangered species. One example of this is monitoring water quality and temperature to help protect at-risk species such as Atlantic salmon from the effects of rising water temperatures and sea levels. Monitoring systems relay this data to understand which parts of the river catchment are most vulnerable and where to focus initiatives such as tree planting.^{[footnote 34]} 

3.9 Water Quality

The use of sensors can also be used to trace contaminants and monitor their impact on freshwater environments. The collection of data can be used to investigate longer term impacts of exposure to contaminants and identify effective solutions, providing valuable insight from both an environmental and health perspective.^{[footnote 35]} Water quality monitoring can be implemented to prevent water borne diseases such as Legionella from contaminating water supplies by using sensors within pipes to regularly monitor the water temperature and adjust as necessary.^{[footnote 36]} 

As well as contributing to more effective and accurate environmental processes, enhanced connectivity enables the analysis of real-time and historic data to identify patterns and gain insight into wider environmental trends. This can be used to support longer term decision making and resource allocation, allowing for greater insight into causes and implementation of preventative measures.^{[footnote 37]}

In conclusion, a review of the existing literature indicates a range of potential benefits mobile connectivity could bring to these rural areas such as enhancing visitor experience, contributing to sustainable tourism and improving environmental processes. The review also demonstrated some contention regarding the extent of these benefits, requiring further exploration. Findings from this literature review were used to inform the development of the research questions and interview schedule as outlined in the next section of this report.

Question 4

4. Methodology

Accepted Answer

This section outlines the approach adopted to explore the potential benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity in rural, sparsely populated areas such as National Parks. This includes the research aims and reasoning behind opting for a qualitative approach. It also explains how the sample was selected, the chosen method for data collection and analysis and any ethical considerations that were made.

Research aims:

to explore the potential benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity in National Parks
to gain a better understanding of the concerns raised surrounding the SRN programme
to expand the evidence base for environmental benefits of 4G
to support the longer-term benefits and evaluation work 
to inform benefits-based decision making

4.1 Qualitative approach

In order to meet the aims of this research, a qualitative approach was adopted for several reasons. A qualitative approach enables the collection of richer data which reveals themes and narratives that cannot be captured by quantitative methods. The exploratory and participant focused nature of qualitative research enabled a more thorough exploration of a variety of views surrounding the SRN Programme. By gaining a more in depth understanding of different individual perspectives, qualitative research is essential to gain important social, cultural and geographic contextual insights. This is particularly relevant to this piece of research to ensure the views of Scottish people are captured as well as the unique differences between Scotland and the rest of the UK. On a practical level, the use of semi-structured qualitative interviews enables a degree of flexibility when collecting data, allowing for more participant focused, nuanced responses.

A survey approach was also considered for this piece of research to gain a larger sample size and greater variety of views. However, we rejected this approach, believing it to be insufficient to achieve our aim of gaining a more in-depth understanding of the views of local people.

4.2 Sampling

Participants were selected using purposive sampling, a non-probability sampling technique which involves intentionally selecting participants based on a specific criteria. In this instance, participants were selected based on their employment at organisations in rural Scotland and experience working in areas related to rural tourism or environmental conservation. These participants were felt to have a good understanding of both the local areas and expertise in the topics identified through the literature review, and would therefore be able to discuss the potential benefits and disbenefits of the 4G connectivity in depth. It was also felt these participants would be able to speak as to the likely impact on residents and visitors, as it would have been challenging to recruit appropriate participants from these groups within the scope of this research.

Participants were chosen via organisation webpages and articles and also through contacts already known to BDUK from previous discussions, in order to increase the likelihood of engagement. To ensure a balanced range of views, participants with both known and unknown views, as well as those who had and had not previously engaged with the Programme, were included in the sample. The target sample size was between 8-12 participants to ensure a balance was struck between gaining a sufficient range of in-depth views and feasibility due to the time intensive nature of qualitative interviews. 18 invites were sent out to potential participants and a sample size of 8 was achieved, however it was felt this sample reflected a suitable range of views and included expertise across the questions included in the topic guide from the original participant list.

4.3 Data collection

The data consisted of 8 semi-structured qualitative interviews. The interviews took place on MS Teams and lasted no longer than one hour to avoid participant fatigue.

An online format was adopted to increase the likelihood of participation and offer a greater degree of flexibility to those willing to take part. While in person interviews were previously considered, the remote nature of the participants’ location influenced our decision to undertake the interviews online.

Prior to collecting the data, a topic guide was developed, reflecting the key areas identified in the literature review to explore in more detail: environmental, social and economic impacts of mobile connectivity. Alongside the focus on the potential impacts of mobile connectivity, the topic guide also included more general questions relating to the respondent’s organisation, including questions regarding the quality of and access to connectivity. The interviews were automatically transcribed by MS Teams and were then checked for accuracy by comparing against the original recordings.

4.4 Data analysis

Once transcribed, the data was then analysed using thematic analysis, a methodology commonly used in qualitative research to identify and present recurring themes and patterns in data.^{[footnote 38]} Thematic analysis follows an inductive step by step process consisting of a) familiarisation, b) open coding, c) focused coding and theme generation d) reviewing themes, e) defining and naming themes, f) reporting.

4.5 Ethical Considerations

Participants were provided with an information sheet and completed a consent form prior to attending the interview, ensuring an informed understanding of the purpose and nature of the research. Findings have been fully anonymised to remove any identifying information from participants. Data was stored securely with participants’ permission.

4.6 Limitations

This research was intended to further investigate potential benefits and disbenefits of 4G connectivity in remote areas in Scotland, with a focus on National Parks. As such, findings outlined in this report may not be representative of the benefits and disbenefits of the SRN programme more widely.

As qualitative research, this report aims to explore the views of a small number of participants in greater depth as opposed to understanding the broader views of a representative sample. Although efforts were made to select participants with a range of experience and views within the sampling constraints, this research had a particularly small number of participants who were selectively sampled, meaning the findings are unlikely to be representative of wider views on 4G connectivity.

Whilst the research aimed to explore the impacts on residents and visitors in Scottish National Parks and the surrounding areas, the sample only consisted of employees working in these locations. Whilst it was felt the participants could give some insight into the views of residents and visitors, there is a risk that their views could be biased and not accurately represent those of likely consumers.

Finally, whilst this research identifies multiple potential benefits and disbenefits of 4G connectivity, it is not possible to understand the relative impact of each benefit or disbenefit. Ultimately decisions on government digital infrastructure should be made using a HMT Green Book appraisal method.

Question 5

5. Findings: Benefits and Disbenefits

Accepted Answer

This section will examine the key findings from the interviews, exploring participants views on the potential social, economic and environmental benefits or disbenefits of 4G connectivity.

5.1 Public Safety

Most respondents acknowledged that access to mobile connectivity was likely to increase the sense of safety felt by visitors carrying out activities in remote rural areas. However, there was a variation in views surrounding the extent to which this would translate into actual safety benefits.

Several respondents stated that reliable mobile connectivity would enable better access to public safety mechanisms. This included having the ability to call for help in the event of an injury without relying on emergency services, or using 4G enabled navigation programmes if lost. One respondent also commented that this could encourage less confident walkers to engage in walking activities, which they perceived as a benefit. 

By contrast, other respondents raised the concern that the presence of mobile connectivity could actually “create a false sense of security” or result in “encouraging irresponsible access”.

“That’s the risk, it may be a perception that it makes it more accessible, but actually that’s not necessarily a good thing because what we found in our experience is often people overestimate their own capabilities and that’s one of the reasons why they often end up getting into trouble”

Mountaineering experts asserted that navigation was just one aspect of safety when carrying out activities in these remote areas, claiming that emphasising the benefits of mobile connectivity for safety presented an “oversimplification” of the risks. This was echoed by other participants who agreed that it was common for visitors to underestimate dangers such as the difficulty of the terrain in more mountainous areas, and unpredictable weather patterns.

The varying opinions on the impacts of connectivity on safety may reflect the diversity of motivations for people visiting these areas, their prior expectations and the type of activities they intend to carry out.

“Not feeling 100% safe is part of the experience, but then on the other side you’ve got less experienced hill walkers or climbers who would be much more comfortable in being able to phone someone. So it’s difficult to weigh those up to come to a view really.”

Another aspect that was raised by respondents was the use of mobile connectivity for tackling rural crime such as fly tipping through surveillance, which typically depends on a constant reliable 4G connection. However, one respondent (an expert in IoT) commented on the emergence of alternative solutions due to technological advances which could negate the need for 4G connectivity. One example of this is the use of automatic number plate recognition to identify and store information on vehicles involved in criminal activities or the detection of ‘abnormal’ behaviour through the use of automatic video analytics. The respondent acknowledged the limited functionality of some of these techniques without 4G connectivity but pointed to the increasing feasibility of alternative options to 4G, indicating the availability of a “much wider spectrum of solutions”.

5.2 Public information/ education

The findings also suggested a further social benefit of having access to mobile connectivity in terms of the availability of up-to-date public information.

One respondent working on visitor engagement in one of the National Parks commented on the educational benefit that improved mobile connectivity could bring to visitors. One element of this included being able to provide visitors with up-to-date information through the use of QR codes. These could provide historical information about the area and contribute to promoting the culture heritage, for example demonstrating the correct Gaelic pronunciation.

The possibility for additional connectivity-enabled features was also discussed, such as a mobile app which would enable visitors to understand the features of the landscape they were surrounded by. This was expected to promote a respect and appreciation of the area, providing both an educational element as well as enhancing the visitor experience. This links directly to the National Park aim of promoting understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the area by the public, demonstrating how enhanced mobile connectivity can play a role in contributing to National Park purposes.

“So there’s a lot of that kind of enhancing the experience and also helping to educate people in terms of cultural heritage and natural heritage and so on” 

This was echoed by another respondent who commented on the conservation benefit of educating and spreading an awareness of the surrounding environment, as visitors are more likely to take care of their surroundings if they have a level of knowledge and understanding. Further to this, access to mobile connectivity could help promote “citizen science” practices, or “people power” whereby visitors could report sightings of plant and animal species and therefore contribute to biodiversity monitoring. As well as having an environmental and educational benefit, this could also have beneficial environmental impacts as visitors may be more likely to feel motivated to make donations if they have a better awareness and appreciation of their surroundings.

“It’s about trying to give people a better understanding of biodiversity and the landscapes and therefore looking after the environment better so they’re not going to just trample over some rare plants for example”

Furthermore, access to connectivity in more remote areas could be useful from a practical perspective by allowing visitors to report any issues such as a broken bridge or fallen tree. By enabling this real-time reporting, maintenance issues are likely to be resolved at a faster rate, thereby also decreasing the risk of potential injury to visitors.

5.3 Visitor Experience

Several respondents commented on the practical issues that have arisen due to lack of access to connectivity. One issue that was repeatedly raised was visitors being unable to access facilities which rely on connectivity for taking payments such as parking, toilet facilities and purchasing goods. This was a particular problem for tourists visiting from overseas who were less likely to have the correct currency in cash form. This is an issue not only from a visitor experience perspective but also by preventing valuable income generation.

“So there’s something where in principle, good connectivity would help make that visitor experience better because we wouldn’t get endless people complaining about the fact they can’t pay for the car parking and what’s going to happen and all the rest of it”

Respondents also discussed the potential that mobile connectivity could bring for further income generation such as contactless donation points in remote areas, which are currently not feasible due to lack of reliable connectivity. One respondent expressed the benefit of having these in more remote areas whereby visitors may be more motivated to make donations to support the impressive environment or habitats they are surrounded by.

While several respondents commented on the positive impact that mobile connectivity could bring to visitor experience, others expressed concern that this would undermine the unique experience of remoteness in National Parks and the feeling of escape. It was felt that for many visitors, limited access to connectivity was actually “part and parcel” of the experience and a motivating factor for attracting people to these remote areas. In light of this, there was a sense that improved connectivity may actually discourage tourists from visiting rather than enhancing their experience.

“It might be that everyone’s jolly glad of that, because they could do with a break from screen time for a bit….. And the idea of having like spaces, in our minds in our days when we’re not just staring at screens and constantly connected and I think that that’s always been a big draw of places like National Parks is to get away from all of that sort of stuff”

One major aspect of this was the visual impact of the physical infrastructure which would be required to provide mobile connectivity.

“The wildness and remoteness is kind of devalued a bit where you have if you have various developments or man-made artifacts in the landscape”

Several respondents claimed that the presence of this infrastructure would undermine the wild qualities of the landscape which is one of the draws to these areas. It was felt that this could discourage visitors wanting to experience and enjoy the remoteness, thereby having a negative impact on the rural tourism economy.

5.4 Communication

Another benefit of connectivity which was raised by respondents was the ability to have constant reliable communication. While this is a “variable commodity” in many of these areas, a respondent working in a National Park emphasised the value of having access to reliable connectivity, “partly from a health and safety point of view and partly for just an efficient management of information flow”. This can be particularly useful during busier periods where there are constant streams of visitors and employees may need to communicate from across the park. One example mentioned was for employees to be able to indicate across a longer distance if a car park was at full capacity so visitor flows could be handled accordingly to prevent facilities from becoming overwhelmed. The use of connectivity for more effectively managing visitor flows enables the adoption of a more sustainable approach to tourism, thereby contributing to the National Park aim of promoting sustainable social and economic development.

Another way in which connectivity can be used is for footfall counting, where remote IoT enabled sensors gather information on visitor numbers and then feed the data back. This can be useful from an environmental perspective to prevent over-tourism which can cause significant damage to the landscape. Footfall counting is also useful from a practical perspective for businesses nearby to estimate customer numbers and plan resources accordingly.

5.5 Environmental monitoring and management

The research also explored some of the environmental benefits that could occur as a result of having enhanced mobile connectivity. One example of this raised by one of the participants was the use of virtual fences enabled by 4G connectivity. In this instance, virtual fences can be used as a replacement for physical fences and infrastructure to control the movement of animals such as cattle. Cattle were equipped with collars which would receive a shock if they attempted to move outside the permitted range and so alter their behaviour and movement. This is beneficial from an ecological point of view by mimicking natural grazing patterns and therefore preventing overgrazing and damage to the landscape. This method also provides significant cost savings by removing the need for expensive physical fences. Furthermore, the use of physical fences has presented as an environmental issue as other animals such as certain bird types have collided with the infrastructure resulting in injury or death.

“And that’s really, really useful for our nature conservation point of view- on the use of cattle fences …You’re using this whole system as if you as if you had like, little team of shepherds or cowherds out sort of moving them around over time”

This demonstrates additional labour savings that can be realised as a result of connectivity, both in terms of building and maintaining the fences and also the shepherding task of moving cattle from one area to another.

In addition to this, respondents mentioned the benefits of using mobile connectivity in the realm of environmental monitoring and management to produce more efficient and accurate data at a lower cost. The use of connectivity-reliant technology enables the remote observation and measurement of environmental conditions such as soil PH, water quality and temperature and air quality. While remote monitoring itself does not require a constant stream of mobile connectivity, it does provide a higher level of accuracy and enables observation of real-time as well as historic data. This is also useful from an ecological perspective for gathering data in hard-to-reach areas, whereby constantly visiting the site could result in damage to sensitive landscapes.

One respondent commented on the benefit of remote monitoring from a public health perspective, for example in the use of measuring water quality to prevent the spread of the harmful bacteria Legionella. This enables the measurement and control of various aspects of water supply systems which impact the safety of water resources, such as temperature. The ability to do this remotely brings about a range of cost and time savings by removing the need for constant manual supervision and control of water temperatures which is particularly useful in harder-to-reach remote areas. While the use of remote monitoring in this way would not entirely remove the need for someone to visit the site, the respondent commented on the use of this to allow for an enhanced level of risk assessment. Further to this, another participant commented on the benefit of using remote monitoring in remote headwater areas to allow for more effective flood management whereby excessive water can be slowed down or detained closer to the source.

Another example of remote monitoring mentioned was to differentiate the source of ammonia run-off between man-made fertilizer or slurry out-fall. This provides both an environmental and economic benefit by enabling more efficient identification and solutions to prevent ammonia run-off which can cause significant damage to the environment, particularly for aquatic ecosystems. The use of connectivity for improving the efficiency and accuracy of conservation practices indicates a contribution to the National Park purposes while also enabling significant time and cost savings.

On the other hand, one participant raised the potential issues associated with the use of remote monitoring, arguing that overreliance on this method could “obscure” findings and therefore produce inaccurate results. Concerns were raised that this would only take into account what the technology was being programmed to measure and so risked only showing one part of the bigger picture.

In addition to this, several participants acknowledged the benefit that mobile connectivity could bring to environmental monitoring and management, but were resistant to the sentiment that this benefit alone provided enough rationale to warrant the installation of infrastructure in these areas.

“In other words, you don’t need to monitor all sites and you don’t need that connectivity everywhere to know that you’re doing the job usefully and competently. There’s other ways of getting your data on that” 

Despite the significant potential environmental benefits of 4G connectivity, there was a great deal of concern among respondents surrounding the “ecologically intrusive” infrastructure that would be required. Respondents cited concerns surrounding both the physical infrastructure and the damage to the landscape from maintenance, for example the building of access tracks. One respondent who worked closely with planning authorities stated that while in certain situations actions can be taken to reduce the harm but “in some situations it’s not really possible to mitigate the impacts”.

Question 6

6. Barriers and Recommendations

Accepted Answer

In addition to investigating some of the potential benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity, the interviews also revealed some of the key barriers and concerns raised with the Programme more generally. This section also attempts to offer recommendations where possible to address these key findings.

6.1 Programme purpose - messaging and cost

Several respondents expressed a lack of clarity surrounding the purpose of the Programme in rural, unpopulated areas, with some commenting that it felt “quite target driven”. In other cases, respondents challenged some of the messaging surrounding the purpose of the Programme in TNS areas, with one respondent describing the safety messaging as oversimplifying a “multifaceted” issue. Several respondents raised concern over the large costs associated with installing infrastructure to deliver mobile connectivity in these areas. It is important to note that these concerns were also raised by interviewees who were more positive about the benefits of mobile connectivity in rural areas but felt that these could not justify the planned development.

“But certainly just to measure water levels twice a day would not justify somebody putting in a 4G mast”.

Further to this, another respondent disputed the rationale of this spending on the grounds of safety concerns, maintaining that this would not be the most cost-effective approach:

“Look at the cost of a mast, a PLB [personal locator beacon] costs £250- do the sums”.

Recommendation: further communication to convey the purpose/ benefits of installing 4G infrastructure, beyond the aim of meeting targets.

6.2 Programme strategy- planning applications

One respondent who worked closely with planning committees expressed they were “disappointed” by the lack of adherence to planning guidance by MNOs which “kind of jarred a little bit with the supportive approach” they’d taken. The planning applications provided insufficient information required for relevant assessments to be made, therefore hindering the roll-out process and resulting in a “frustrating” back and forth with developers.

“We don’t have sufficient information to make a proper judgement”

Recommendation: details and justifications in planning applications to assess sites on a case-by-case basis rather than uniformly, taking into consideration the variation between different sites. Site-specific information required to enable a sufficient assessment of planned infrastructure development.

6.3 Programme strategy- lack of consultation/ negotiation

Across several interviews, individuals reiterated that there was a lack of consultation with local people who had a greater understanding of the areas and would be directly affected by development. Respondents also indicated that they felt there was initially more scope to negotiate mast locations to minimize the impact of the infrastructure, but that engagement has since decreased as the Programme has progressed.

“The impression that we’d had from the start was that there was a balance to be struck here. It wasn’t coverage at all costs”

Recommendation: further consultation with local communities/ authorities in order to fully assess proposed mast locations throughout planning of TNS delivery.

6.4 Alternative Technologies

One recurring theme raised was the prominence of alternative technologies, with several respondents reflecting on the implications this could have on 4G connectivity. Due to the “rapidly evolving” technological space, alternative technologies are becoming increasingly available and able to address gaps in the digital divide at a lower cost with minimal landscape intrusion. Several respondents referred to the growing use of satellite technology which is able to provide a high degree of accuracy for “ecologically informative information” for conservation activities. This technology is also becoming more accessible and therefore has the potential to provide safety benefits without infrastructure.

There was a repeated sentiment that 4G connectivity is only part of a “spectrum of solutions” and careful consideration is required to find the right approach that reflects the unique needs of the area rather than opting for a one size fits all approach.

“I rather suspect that in 20 years time there’ll be better ways that are more available. And you know apps of various sorts are appearing on phones that work more and more with satellites, now that’s already starting to happen”

One respondent also commented on the possible redundancy of mobile masts in the future if alternative technologies were utilized, suggesting a caveat in the policy whereby masts would be removed if no longer needed.

Recommendation: adopting a broader approach to the aim of tackling the digital divide beyond access to 4G mobile connectivity. Undertaking an exploration into the use of alternative technologies to achieve this aim and acknowledging the need for solution variation to reflect differences in need and impact

Question 7

7. Conclusion

Accepted Answer

The aim of this research was to explore the benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity in rural areas in Scotland, with a focus on National Parks. A review of the literature was presented to provide an overview of the current evidence available surrounding the benefits and disbenefits of mobile connectivity in rural areas and help to inform the research questions. The research questions were examined through a qualitative approach in the form of semi-structured interviews in order to gain a more in-depth understanding of respondents and produce meaningful, high-quality findings.

These findings provided an exploration of a variety of views surrounding the potential impact of mobile connectivity from people with valuable experience working in these areas. While the findings demonstrate a wide range of opinions a consistent theme that was raised was that the building of telecoms infrastructure required extremely careful consideration, taking an evidence-based approach to consider the benefits and disbenefits rather than pursuing a rigid target.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Benefits and Challenges of 4G Connectivity in Rural Scotland

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

2.1 Programme Background

2.2 Research Rationale

2.3 Research Background

3. Literature review

3.1 National Parks

3.2 Rural Tourism

3.3 Visitor Experience and Connectivity

3.4 Public Safety and Rural Crime

3.5 Sustainable Tourism

3.6 Environmental monitoring and management

3.7 Ecosystem Restoration

3.8 Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Protection

3.9 Water Quality

4. Methodology

4.1 Qualitative approach

4.2 Sampling

4.3 Data collection

4.4 Data analysis

4.5 Ethical Considerations

4.6 Limitations

5. Findings: Benefits and Disbenefits

5.1 Public Safety

5.2 Public information/ education

5.3 Visitor Experience

5.4 Communication

5.5 Environmental monitoring and management

6. Barriers and Recommendations

6.1 Programme purpose - messaging and cost

6.2 Programme strategy- planning applications

6.3 Programme strategy- lack of consultation/ negotiation

6.4 Alternative Technologies

7. Conclusion

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1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

2.1 Programme Background

2.2 Research Rationale

2.3 Research Background

3. Literature review

3.1 National Parks

3.2 Rural Tourism

3.3 Visitor Experience and Connectivity

3.4 Public Safety and Rural Crime

3.5 Sustainable Tourism

3.6 Environmental monitoring and management

3.7 Ecosystem Restoration

3.8 Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Protection

3.9 Water Quality

4. Methodology

4.1 Qualitative approach

4.2 Sampling

4.3 Data collection

4.4 Data analysis

4.5 Ethical Considerations

4.6 Limitations

5. Findings: Benefits and Disbenefits

5.1 Public Safety

5.2 Public information/ education

5.3 Visitor Experience

5.4 Communication

5.5 Environmental monitoring and management

6. Barriers and Recommendations

6.1 Programme purpose - messaging and cost

6.2 Programme strategy- planning applications

6.3 Programme strategy- lack of consultation/ negotiation

6.4 Alternative Technologies

7. Conclusion

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Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK