MOBILE phone operator EE has announced it is extending its 4G coverage in Powys.

The superfast phone coverage is being rolled out to new sites along the A470 in the Brecon Beacons, Llanbedr in the Black Mountains, near the B4356 south of Llangunllo and the A4067 north of Crai.

Sites that have recently received 4G coverage include Bleddfa, Aberedw and Newbridge-on-Wye, as well connections along the A470, A488, A4081 and the B4358, B4519 and B4520.

In addition, nearly 40 existing sites in the county have been upgraded to 4G in the past year.

The first permanent 4G site installed in Powys was delivered to the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells some years ago for the Royal Welsh Show.

The 4G coverage expansion is part of EE’s ongoing investment to provide coverage for the new Emergency Services Network, which will connect 300,000 UK emergency services personnel.

Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies, commented: “We welcome EE’s investment in our digital infrastructure.

Improving mobile signal is a key way of helping rural areas compete and Powys County Council fully supports such improvements. While we still have a way to go, these new masts are a move in the right direction, providing additional coverage for many new residents and businesses as well as helping with local tourism.

We’re continuing to work closely with EE to bring coverage to even more residents in the area and I understand that some sections of roads will now have a mobile signal for the very first time. This shows the commitment of both parties to work together to provide better mobile phone coverage in Powys.”

Alwen Williams, BT Director for Wales, said: “4G connectivity in rural areas is much needed. 4G is making a huge difference to people across Wales and we’ve built and upgraded 700 sites across the country in the last three years.

“We know our customers demand more than calls and texts, so our focus is on providing superfast 4G data as well as high quality voice. With 4G in more places than any other provider, our customers can do more with their smartphones and stay connected wherever they go.”

Across the UK, EE is building and upgrading hundreds of sites every month to 4G as part of its network expansion. Some of these sites add new coverage while some increase signal strength, capacity and reliability in areas with existing coverage.

EE’s 4G network, which covers more than 90% of the UK geography, has the fastest 4G speeds for streaming, downloading and video sharing.

EE also recently launched a new 4G home broadband solution with the potential to connect 580,000 homes across the UK, particularly those in rural areas, via EE’s superfast 4G network.

The new 4G home broadband combines the 4GEE Home Router with a powerful external antenna and professional installation service.

To learn more about EE’s indoor and outdoor 2G, 3G and 4G service, customers can use EE’s online Coverage Checker.