Wales could benefit from £3bn growth annually if indoor mobile dead zones were eliminated, survey finds.

RESEARCH from Freshwave, a connectivity infrastructure provider, highlights how improving indoor mobile coverage could significantly enhance productivity across Wales. According to the 2025 Freshwave Mobile Connectivity ROI Index, poor indoor mobile signal currently costs Welsh organisations an estimated £4bn every year, with businesses, hospitals, and public buildings suffering from inefficiencies caused by mobile blackspots.

The index reveals that 82% of Welsh organisations experience daily connectivity issues, which have a direct impact on both employee productivity and customer satisfaction. Survey respondents believe that resolving these connectivity problems could lead to a substantial 2.1% increase in Wales’ GDP—surpassing the UK-wide average of 1.6%.

In light of these findings, the Welsh Government’s Digital Strategy for Wales aims to use technology to improve lives and enhance productivity across the nation. This is particularly timely, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves has made economic productivity a key priority amid discussions of avoiding further tax increases.

Impact on Welsh businesses and public sector

Organisations with more than 100 employees are reporting that indoor mobile connectivity problems cost them an average of £143m annually, which translates to a collective £4bn loss across the Welsh economy. Respondents believe that improving mobile coverage—whether through 4G or 5G—would address these productivity barriers and contribute to significant efficiency gains. Many also anticipate higher budgets for mobile connectivity improvements, with 68% planning to increase their investments over the next two years.

CEO comments on the need for action

Simon Frumkin, CEO of Freshwave, explained: “The Welsh economy simply cannot afford to lose billions every year. Investments in digital infrastructure over the past decade have set the stage for progress. Now, we need to ensure that seamless mobile connectivity is available where it’s needed most. This could result in a £3bn boost to Welsh organisations.”

Frumkin added, “By working alongside mobile network operators, we can unlock the full economic potential of 4G and 5G connectivity, driving innovation and efficiency across all sectors.”

National context: Public sector hit hardest

Across the UK, the public sector is the most affected by indoor mobile connectivity issues, with losses of £46bn annually and missed opportunities worth £33bn. The professional and financial services sector also faces significant losses, amounting to £24bn annually, with potential gains of £17bn.

Notes to Editors
Research methodology: A survey of 900 senior IT decision-makers from medium and large organisations across the UK was conducted in December 2024. Participants represented sectors including government, healthcare, professional services, and more, with all respondents from organisations with over 100 employees and revenues exceeding £50 million.

About Freshwave: Freshwave is a connectivity infrastructure provider that simplifies digital infrastructure. Backed by DigitalBridge, Freshwave collaborates with mobile operators, governments, and real estate providers to ensure reliable connectivity across the UK. Visit www.freshwavegroup.com for more information.

ONE of Wales’ leading work-based learning providers is calling for better collaboration between schools, employers and training providers to inform young people and their parents about apprenticeships.

Faith O’Brien, managing director of Welshpool-based Cambrian Training Company, said: “A significant gap remains in the quality of joint marketing activities between schools, employers and training providers to effectively promote apprenticeships”.

“This gap is often attributed to a lack of awareness among careers officers in schools and a reluctance to present apprenticeships as a viable option for all pupils, regardless of academic attainment.”

She believes best practice for promoting apprenticeships involves directly engaging with employers to foster strategic and operational relationships while investing in the sector.

“Many employers in Wales have successfully embedded apprenticeships into their career pathways, making them a crucial component of their recruitment and retention strategies,” she added.

“As the leading provider of work-based apprenticeships in Hospitality and Food & Drink Manufacturing, Cambrian Training has built strong employer relationships, enabling a deep understanding of business needs and ensuring apprenticeship programmes align with their delivery models”.

“It’s vital that young people, their parents and teachers have access to all the available information of the different education options. We also need parity of esteem between the academic and vocational routes, so that our young people can take informed decisions that lead to successful life-long careers.”

Faith’s comments come as Wales tries to reduce the number of young people aged between 16 to 24 not in education, training or employment (NEET). The year ending September 2024 showed that the NEET rate was 10.7% and individuals aged 24 accounted for the highest rate at 18.8%.

Recent UK research commissioned by Grant Thornton UK LLP reported growing recognition of the benefits apprenticeship can offer school leavers. However, almost one in five (19%) of young people surveyed don’t believe they have received good careers advice about school leaver apprenticeships.

Most young people felt pressure from parents and teachers to go to university and only just over one in five (22%) are considering or currently doing a school leaver apprenticeship.

The Senedd’s Children, Young People and Education Committee has launched The Routes into post-16 education and training inquiry, examining the quality of information given to learners about the full range of post-16 options in Wales.

The inquiry will also examine how effective careers support is at compulsory school age, changes in post-18routes, Welsh-medium provision, equity of access, Post-16 destination data and the Welsh Government’s role.

Cambrian Training Company is supporting careers initiatives aimed at schoolchildren and their parents to raise awareness, knowledge and interest in apprenticeships.

The company attends apprenticeship and careers fairs across Wales and sponsors the Culinary Association of Wales and the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC).

The WICC features competitions and skills classes to give young people a chance to try their hand and learn more about the industry and job opportunities.

Cambrian Training Company also collaborates with Menter a Busnes and Tasty Careers in Food & Drink schools programmes to promote careers in Welsh food and drink and hospitality

Photo captions: 

Cambrian Training Company promoting apprenticeships at the Apprenticeship Fair held in the Senedd during National Apprenticeship Week.

Faith O’Brien, Cambrian Training Company’s managing director.

A HAND car wash scheme at a Pembrokeshire builders’ yard on the edge of the county town has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application before Pembrokeshire county council, Serkan Ustugul sought permission to use part of the builders’ yard/lorry park at Lower Dredgemans Hill, Merlins Bridge, Haverfordwest as a car wash facility, along with an associated waiting area/store and drainage mitigation system.

A supporting statement through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd said: “The yard has historic use as a builder’s yard for some 80 years with the site being used by various vehicles on multiple occasions during the week. A number of small businesses lease portions of the land from the owner as builder’s yard, lorry park, and mechanic and storage areas, and they in turn generate traffic movements to access and egress the yard onto the main road.

“Being close to Merlins Bridge and Haverfordwest the proposed site for the car wash facility is in a sustainable location. The site is adjacent to the main railway line and to the north is a large complex of business units.”

Works were undertaken at the site back in 2019 when the entrance gates into the site and the flanking walls were removed to for access by Network Rail in order to carry out nearby bridge improvements on the adjoining railway network, with a later full planning application for the revised access for larger vehicles for those works granted.

The latest application said existing consents at the site allowed multiple uses, with the use of of a car-wash already allowed, adding: “however, the operational development requires planning permission.  This application proposes the use of part of the land at the existing builder’s yard to form a hand car wash facility, which is proposed to operate from 8.30am to 6pm seven days a week (including bank holidays).

“The detailed scheme comprises a one-way system with vehicular entry and exit off the existing access at Merlins Bridge which was widened and improved under [the previous consent].”

It finished: “The proposed hand car-wash facility will provide local employment opportunities and provide an important local service for its customers.  The scheme will not be visually intrusive due to the proposed location of the development as a whole, and the detailed layout of the site. The canopies and portacabin proposed are not over-sized and minimised visual clutter on the site.”

The application was conditionally approved by planning officers.