EE CEO Marc Allera unveiled a four-point plan to counter “incorrect expectations” set by the UK mobile industry around coverage.

Population coverage has always been the standard metric for gauging the quality of a mobile network, but Allera argues this needs to change with greater focus on geography.

“We have become a little lazy. Population coverage figures set the wrong expectations,” he said.

“There is now an assumption from customers that 95 per cent population coverage means ubiquitous coverage but it’s only equivalent to 54 per cent geographic coverage,” he added.

The mismatch is particularly significant when the industry is moving towards connected cars, he said.

In addition, he voiced doubt about a process whereby network quality is still judged on access to voice and SMS, when usage has shifted so dramatically towards data.

EE has written to UK regulator Ofcom and its rivals proposing a four-point plan to address what it sees as these shortcomings. Firstly, it wants the industry to stop talking about population coverage in isolation. “That’s misleading,” said Allera.

Secondly, the operators wants the industry to provide regular updates of coverage at local level not just national figures, and of data speeds too not just voice and text.

A third point is to make Ofcom the home of independent monitoring and an accepted authority on coverage.

Finally, the industry needs to explain to users that not all devices are adjusted for all spectrum bands, which impacts user experience.

EE prides itself on being the market leader on coverage, so industry support for such a plan would be very much to its benefit.

Currently (November 2016), EE offers 99 per cent population coverage, which is equivalent to 75 per cent geographic coverage. That’s an increase from 94 per cent population coverage (and 54 per cent geographic) in December 2015.

The operator’s goal is to hit 95 per cent geographic coverage by 2020. It is testing drones, balloons and satellites as it looks at the most cost effective means to reach the least populated parts of the country.

EE responds to proposed auction bar

Earlier this week, Ofcom proposed to partially bar EE from bidding in a forthcoming spectrum auction because it is wary of the market leader’s share of the country’s spectrum resources.

According to Ofcom, EE currently holds 45 per cent of immediately useable UK mobile spectrum. Hence, the regulator’s proposal to bar it from bidding in  next year’s sale of 2.3 GHz spectrum, although it would be allowed to bid for 3.4 GHz frequencies.

Allera told Mobile World Live the decision would “not make a difference” to EE’s coverage target.

“It would be a real shame if we are restricted from holding certain bands of spectrum,” he said, adding that the operator plans to argue its case during a consultation that has a closing date of 30 January.

Allera pointed out that while EE does have a big stash of frequencies, it is relatively lightweight in more attractive lower end spectrum, so undermining the picture of dominance somewhat.