Bin lorries to help tackle 'rubbish' mobile signal
TVCABin wagons are being used to help tackle "rubbish" phone coverage in digital blackspots.
The vehicles have been fitted with smartphones to monitor signal strength as they travel on their rounds in Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton.
A partnership between five councils in the area, the Tees Valley Combined Authority and digital mapping firm Inakalum, data will be collected from each of the four major mobile networks.
The results will be used in the development of a mobile coverage checker aimed at helping people understand signal quality in their area as well as identify areas where changes are needed.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said it was time to "go further to tackle digital blackspots that hold back people and businesses".
"Whether you're on a farm in East Cleveland or running a business in Darlington, decent signal shouldn't be a luxury - it should be the bare minimum.
"If we want to build on our potential as a digital powerhouse, we need to make sure everyone is properly connected."
Steve Harker, leader of Darlington Council and cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, added: "We're using our bin wagons to sort more than just our rubbish - we're sorting rubbish signal out, too.
"This will give us hard evidence of problems people who have poor signal know only too well and arm us to go to providers and government to get it sorted."
Lisa Evans, leader of Stockton Council, warned "many people still struggle with poor signal and slow data speeds".
The project has been funded with the help of £32,490 from the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund and follows similar programmes elsewhere in the country, including Liverpool.