A £5billion investment to improve mobile phone coverage in Wales must put target rural communities, the MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr has said.

Jonathan Edwards is seeking further details on the scheme which comes following an agreement between four major mobile phone operators and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, but stated improvements must be made in the county.

Mr Edwards, who has kicked started a campaign to get mobile phone signals across his Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency, said it was vital that Carmarthenshire is at the top of the list of places to benefit from the investment.

“Communities without any signal must also be prioritised,” said Mr Edwards.

“Simply upgrading areas where there is a basic signal is not good enough.”

Currently only 63 per cent of Wales has mobile coverage. The scheme will see that figure rise to 83 per cent.

“Last month I was working with constituents in the communities of Salem, Talley, Cwmdu and Pumsaint who had been without a landline telephone for weeks whilst waiting for damaged lines to be repaired,” said Mr Edwards.

“These communities, like so many others, not only have ageing landlines but cannot get a basic mobile phone signal.

“The same is true of areas in the Gwendraeth and Teifi valleys where there really are some mobile black spots.

“While major cities increasingly benefit from 4G coverage, many communities in Carmarthenshire would make up the current 37 per cent with no mobile coverage whatsoever.

“Receiving a 3G or 4G signal could, however, support broadband and remove the need for ageing and very poor landline connections which are not being upgraded.

“I’ll be making representations to the Minister this week to ensure Carmarthenshire is well and truly on the map for investment.”

Assembly Member Rhodri Glyn Thomas is expected to raise the issue with the First Minister this week about this investment.