Vodafone now covers 90 per cent of UK homes with 3G, a target it should have reached in mid-2013.

Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator, announced in November that the UK’s other network operators – EE, 3 UK and O2 – had all met their 3G licence obligation to cover 90 per cent of UK homes by the end of June.

Vodafone, however, fell slightly short. Its 3G coverage reached 88.66 per cent of homes. Vodafone subsequently agreed plans with the regulator to meet the 90 per cent target by the end of 2013.

After completing another coverage assessment, Ofcom announced today (31 January) that Vodafone had in fact met its coverage target ahead of the extended deadline. The work involved upgrading 129 mobile transmitter sites.

By working closely with Ofcom to address the shortfall, which was small anyway, Vodafone avoided a fine.

Ofcom used the announcement on Vodafone to further emphasise mobile coverage as a priority.

The regulator said it will carry out research into the quality of mobile reception and coverage, such as information on the proportion of ‘dropped’ calls that consumers experience. New data revealing 3G and 4G mobile broadband performance is to be published in the spring.

“We believe this information will help consumers make the right choices and encourage providers to improve their performance,” said the regulator.

The research is part of Ofcom’s five-point plan to boost mobile coverage.

Other points include the 3G target, as well as paving the way for near-universal 4G coverage.

The 4G licence acquired by O2 obliges the operator to extend indoor 4G coverage to 98 per cent of the UK population by 2017 at the latest. This will mean coverage of more than 99 per cent of the UK population when outdoors, says Ofcom.

After 4G roll out has been completed, there will be a small proportion of homes where providing mobile services is not commercially viable. As part of its five-point plan, Ofcom is counting on government spending – up to £150 million – on new mobile infrastructure to bring services to these areas.

The final part of the plan is a detailed examination of mobile coverage on major rail routes over the coming year.

Once completed, Ofcom said it will offer technical advice to the Department for Transport and Network Rail on how mobile coverage on roads and railways might be improved.

The regulator added it is assessing coverage on UK roads to understand whether regulatory or government intervention may be required to achieve wider mobile coverage on roads.