What is the biggest problem facing our nations self employed right now in 2018? The answer is…”mobile reception” according to a survey.
In that survey, 50% of self employed contractors and freelancers complained about the frequency of so called “not spots,” and went on to call the situation “ubiquitous” – whatever that means.
I think it means “not very good,” and it really does make you wonder what is going on here? This is the UK in the 21st Century…can we not get a simple mobile reception right? Apparently not.
Perhaps we should go back to the days of teletext and typewriters as a way of getting through the day. You didn’t need a mobile reception for those did you, but they were the cornerstone of every self employed contactors day for years.
20% of self employed people mentioned in the survey that, in their opinion, the UK’s mobile phone network was actually going into reverse, to the point where it’s now worse than 10 years ago in many areas of the country.
Did we ever have this kind of a problem with teletext? The answer is no. Teletext was there 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Maybe its time for a comeback? Millions would agree.
The same can be said about the good old fax machine. That familiar noise meant a fax was coming through, and predictably, it came through and there was no “reception” problems.
Yes, it was only a few years ago that your traditional self employed UK freelancers and contractors were sat at their desk, typing on their typewriter, watching a fax come through and checking the latest gossip on teletext. No stress and no hassle.
At lunchtime it was time to play the daily quiz on Channel 4 teletext, and if you got all of the questions right then it made your day.
These days our nations self employed are lucky if they get any work done or have any fun at all. They are too busy getting angry and frustrated about the mobile reception, or lack of it.
The survey went on to tell us that around 500 “not spots” have been identified around the country and that action has to be taken to bring everyone up to speed.
“A reliable mobile signal is a basic everyday requirement for businesses,” said a spokesperson for the survey.
“There’s clearly still work to do to translate upgrades into a better real-life experience for users. Not spots generate understandable frustration, and undermine firms’ productivity and their ability to connect with customers [and] suppliers”.
Wise words indeed, and I’m sure the government will eventually spring into action.
In the meantime I am going to check the sport news on teletext before going back to my typewriter to write more news stories for this very blog. Stay tuned.
