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Broadband and communication

Information on how to get better home broadband, the Broadband East Riding project, check mobile phone coverage in your area, find helpful consumer guidance and what to do if a telephone box is going to be removed.

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How can I get better home broadband?

In the first instance, you should contact your current home broadband provider, as
new service packages might be available and upgrades to the broadband infrastructure are being made on an ongoing basis. New equipment (e.g. routers) may also be available to improve performance.

Your internet service provider should be able to advise you of any planned upgrades in your area.

Other types of broadband services, i.e. wireless or satellite, can also offer an alternative to traditional broadband services delivered through a telephone line. If you have a strong mobile phone signal, you may wish to consider using a mobile broadband package at home.

What is Broadband East Riding?

Broadband East Riding (managed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council) is part of the Government's national Building Digital UK programme (formerly Broadband Delivery UK), responsible for ensuring that every UK home and business can access fast and reliable digital connectivity.

Contract 1 of the Broadband East Riding programme ended in December 2015, with over 42,000 properties in the East Riding of Yorkshire benefitting from improved connectivity. Contract 2 provided a further 6,771 premises access to improved connectivity and was completed in December 2019. Contract 3 was completed in June 2022 and delivered gigabit-capable broadband connectivity to a further 1,371 rural, hard-to-reach premises. Focus has since turned to the government's 'Project Gigabit' programme.

What is Project Gigabit?

Project Gigabit is the government’s programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband. It targets homes and businesses that are not included in broadband suppliers’ plans, reaching parts of the UK that might otherwise miss out on getting the digital connectivity they need. The government is committed to achieving nationwide gigabit coverage and expects 99% of premises to have access to a gigabit-capable connection by 2032. In July 2024, it was announced that Quickline has been appointed by BDUK to deliver those hard to reach connections in our region, and that work is underway.

Where can I find more information?

For further updates, please refer to Building Digital UK's Project Gigabit website.
Alternatively, please refer to Quickline's Project Gigabit build plans.

For queries regarding Project Gigabit and broadband connectivity to a premise, please email correspondence@dsit.gov.uk

What are the benefits of better broadband?

Fast and reliable broadband provides a wide range of benefits for individuals, families, communities and businesses, making all of these possible:

  • Better access to online services (e.g. banks, shops, health care provision)
  • Better access to new forms of media (e.g. Smart TVs/i-player)
  • Better access to learning materials for students and teachers
  • Reduced need for travel – more services can be accessed in the home or community
  • Public sector service delivery efficiencies - more services can be delivered online
  • Increased business competitiveness
  • Improved infrastructure to attract jobs and provide local employment
  • Improved home working and self-employment opportunities
  • Social inclusion and improved quality of life.

Does the council provide broadband services to residents or businesses?

Internet access is available to East Riding residents through our public library network, but the council does not provide broadband services to households or businesses.

Please see the library computers section for more information.

The Council is also co-ordinating the Broadband East Riding Project. For more information on the project please visit:

Broadband East Riding (external East Riding website)

How can I check the mobile phone coverage in my area?

Ofcom has a website which shows the predicted coverage for mobile phone (calls/and or data) across the whole country, for each of the four UK mobile network providers (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone). The information is updated regularly.

Ofcom mobile and broadband checker (external website)

Additionally, each mobile network provider also has an online coverage checker which can be accessed via the UK Mobile Coverage website link below.

UK Mobile Coverage - coverage checker (external website)

Where can I find more information for consumers?

Ofcom is the national regulator of the communications sector and their remit includes mobile connectivity, broadband and fixed line telecoms.

Ofcom has produced helpful guidance for consumers on a range of issues, including broadband and mobile coverage, cheaper social tariffs, online safety, moving landlines to digital technology and the gradual switch off of 3G mobile technology.

For further information, help and advice with your phone, broadband, TV, radio and postal services visit the Ofcom website:

Ofcom advice for consumers (external website)

What can I do if a public telephone box is due to be removed?

Telephone companies have to follow national rules if they want to remove any public telephone boxes, and the public have the opportunity to object. Some people still rely on public telephone boxes, and they are particularly important in areas where mobile phones do not work well.

Telephone companies are required to display a notice on any telephone box that they plan to remove. The relevant Town or Parish Council will normally be notified of the plans as part of the community consultation and further details on the consultation process will be available on the notice displayed in the telephone box.

If a public telephone box is deemed to be no longer required, a community will typically be given the option of ‘adopting’ the telephone box and retaining it for a different use. There are good examples of former telephone boxes being used to house defibrillators or even used for small community libraries.

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