FROM NOT-SPOT TO HOTSPOT: EE DELIVERS UK FIRST FOR THE PEOPLE OF PENMACHNO

• Residents and businesses in Penmachno, a rural Welsh village in the valleys of Eryri National Park, are no longer cut off from the outside world after EE becomes the UK’s first operator to deliver mobile coverage to the community.

• Until recently, Penmachno’s 600 residents were living in the ‘forgotten’ four percent of the UK that had no reliable mobile signal from any operator.

• EE’s connectivity is now being used to improve safety for residents and tourists, provide access to critical online services, and boost the local economy.

Residents and businesses in the scenic Welsh village of Penmachno are celebrating the start of a new, connected era after EE became the first UK operator to deliver reliable mobile connectivity to the community.

Situated in the Machno Valley, a few miles south of Betws-y-Coed, the village is steeped in centuries of rich history with a strong farming community and 30 kilometres of renowned mountain bike trails. However, its 600 residents were, until recently, living in part of the ‘forgotten’ four percent of the UK that is without reliable mobile signal from any operator. ¹

Living in one of the UK’s last remaining mobile not-spots left the community isolated for many years, with residents having to travel to nearby villages to make phone calls, struggling with organising home deliveries of food and medication, and left stuck with restricted access to secure online banking and other digital services.

That has all changed now.  EE, with the support of Bro Machno Community Council, has discreetly built a new mobile mast at the edge of a forest on the slopes of the Machno Valley, providing fast and reliable 4G connectivity to the village, as well as critical signal for the emergency services as part of the Home Office’s Emergency Services Network. ²

“We’ve always been 100 percent behind the mast and that has helped our journey to where we are today, with a mast in the forest and signal for everybody,” said Daniel Tomos, Clerk of Bro Machno Community Council. 

Greg McCall, Chief Security and Networks Officer at BT Group, added: “As part of our work to connect the unconnected, we’re going further and faster than anyone else to ensure every rural community in the UK has the reliable connectivity they need. There is more to do to completely eradicate the UK’s digital divide but our collaboration with the local residents of Penmachno is a shining example of what can be achieved when mobile operators and communities work together to tackle the issue head on.”

Connected and protected

Being in the heart of Eryri National Park means Penmachno attracts a lot of tourists, including hikers and mountain bikers. Residents David and Emma Dallimore, who regularly ride Penmachno’s mountain bike trails, believe the additional safety offered by reliable mobile signal will encourage more people to visit the area: “Safety was quite a concern for people coming into the area because there was no mobile reception. If people were injured, particularly if they were out riding on their own, there was no way of getting hold of anyone to help.  The fact it is now safer is a very good thing for all of us.”

They are also excited about how the new mobile connectivity will enable them to use more sustainable technology, including a smart meter and EV charging point: “There are people that we know in the village that have got mobile reception for the very first time and are chuffed to bits. It’s important for mobile operators to come to places like this and offer what the rest of the country has, as it enables us to contribute and live and work in the way people in more urban areas can.”

Full bars under the stars

Paul Huckstep is co-owner of Benar Cottages, a local holiday-let business offering luxurious stays in 16^th century cottages overlooking the surrounding valley. The new mobile connectivity is having a positive impact on his customers, many of whom come to explore Penmachno’s forest and river walks, as well as its natural scenery.

“Now that we’ve got the mobile mast, it will make running our business easier. In the past we have had guests leave us negative reviews because of the lack of mobile phone service, but now all that has gone away. Guests can arrive, open their phones when they get here, find out where they are staying on-site, and keep in contact with everyone they need to,” he said.

Future-fit connectivity for future generations

The new mast in Penmachno is part of EE’s ongoing work to help close the UK’s digital divide so rural communities can thrive in the modern age and attract future generations to live and work in countryside communities.

Owen Davis is a father of four and has lived in Penmachno for more than 25 years. He said: “Having a mobile network here in the village is making an immediate difference to everyone who lives here, helping them feel that they have the same opportunities as other places. When I think of my family and particularly my younger children, it’s reassuring to be able to track them using tools like Find my iPhone and just know where they are, as we don’t want to restrict them when we live in such a lovely area.”

Owen is also a co-ordinator for Penmachno’s new Community Hub – the village’s old memorial hall which has been renovated into a vibrant and modern community space running events, fitness classes, and skills sessions for all ages.  

He believes the new connectivity will also help support the local economy while bringing the tight-knit community even closer together: “One of the opportunities we’re exploring with the Community Hub is starting a monthly local producer’s market, for people to sell their eggs and fresh vegetables. The opportunity to be able to use the mobile signal to take online card payments will be a benefit to us.”

Research from analysts at Farrpoint examining the impact of mobile connectivity in Trawsfynydd, which is a 30-minute drive from Penmachno, shows that 4G signal from a single EE mast can deliver up to £383,000 in economic value to rural Welsh communities over its lifetime.

EE’s investment has seen it expand and strengthen its network in more than 1,800 rural locations across the UK in the last five years, including some of the most remote and hard-to-reach communities – taking its mobile coverage in Wales to record levels, with reliable signal now covering more than 90% of the country’s landmass.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

¹ According to Ofcom’s Connected Nation’s Report 2025, while 96% of the UK’s landmass has 4G connectivity from at least one network operator, the remaining 4% has no mobile coverage from any mobile operator.

² The Home Office’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) is providing mobile coverage for the emergency services in some of the most rural and remote parts of Great Britain. ESN will enable fast, safe and secure voice, video and data across the 4G network, giving first responders immediate access to life-saving data, images and information in live situations and emergencies on the frontline.

There will be a total of 20,840 new and upgraded sites to facilitate the coverage needed for ESN across Great Britain. This will include the current EE network of 19,795 existing sites which have been updated, as well as the construction of 1,045 new 4G masts (figures correct as of January 2026). Of the 1,045 new masts being built, 753 will be built by EE to support the existing network. The Home Office is also building 292 additional masts, known as the Extended Area Service (EAS). EAS is a critical part of ESN and will supplement EE’s ESN coverage, ensuring maximum emergency service coverage in hard-to-reach areas.

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O FAN-GWAN I BOETHFAN: EE YW'R CYNTAF YN Y DU I DDARPARU SIGNAL I BOBL PENMACHNO

• Nid yw trigolion a busnesau ym Mhenmachno, pentref gwledig Cymreig yng nghymoedd Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri, wedi'u hynysu o'r byd y tu allan mwyach ar ôl i EE ddod yn weithredwr cyntaf y DU i ddarparu gwasanaeth ffôn symudol i'r gymuned.
• Tan yn ddiweddar, roedd y 600 o drigolion ym Mhenmachno yn byw yn y pedwar y cant ‘anghofiedig’ o’r DU nad oedd ganddynt signal ffôn symudol dibynadwy gan unrhyw weithredwr.
• Mae cysylltedd EE bellach yn cael ei ddefnyddio i wella diogelwch i drigolion a thwristiaid, darparu mynediad at wasanaethau ar-lein hanfodol, a hybu'r economi leol.

Mae trigolion a busnesau ym mhentref hardd Penmachno yng Nghymru yn dathlu dechrau oes newydd, gysylltiedig ar ôl i EE ddod y gweithredwr cyntaf yn y DU i ddarparu cysylltedd ffôn symudol dibynadwy i'r gymuned.

Wedi'i leoli yn Nyffryn Machno, ychydig filltiroedd i'r de o Fetws-y-coed, mae'r pentref wedi'i drwytho mewn canrifoedd o hanes cyfoethog gyda chymuned ffermio gref a 30 cilomedr o lwybrau beicio mynydd enwog. Fodd bynnag, roedd ei 600 o drigolion, tan yn ddiweddar, yn byw mewn rhan o'r pedwar y cant 'anghofiedig' o'r DU sydd heb signal ffôn symudol dibynadwy gan unrhyw weithredwr. ¹

Gadawyd y gymuned ynysig am flynyddoedd lawer, gan fyw yn un o fannau digyswllt olaf y DU, gyda thrigolion yn gorfod teithio i bentrefi cyfagos i wneud galwadau ffôn symudol, yn cael trafferth trefnu danfoniadau bwyd a meddyginiaeth adref, ac yn cael eu gadael yn sownd gyda mynediad cyfyngedig i fancio ar-lein diogel a gwasanaethau digidol eraill.

Mae hynny i gyd wedi newid nawr. Mae EE, gyda chefnogaeth Cyngor Cymuned Bro Machno, wedi adeiladu mast ffôn symudol newydd disylw ar ymyl coedwig ar lethrau Dyffryn Machno, gan ddarparu cysylltedd 4G cyflym a dibynadwy i'r pentref, yn ogystal â signal hanfodol ar gyfer y gwasanaethau brys fel rhan o Rwydwaith Gwasanaethau Brys (ESN) y Swyddfa Gartref. ²

“Rydyn ni wastad wedi cefnogi'r mast cant y cant ac mae hynny wedi helpu ein taith i ble rydyn ni heddiw, gyda mast yn y goedwig a signal i bawb,” meddai Daniel Tomos, Clerc Cyngor Cymuned Bro Machno.

Ychwanegodd Greg McCall, Prif Swyddog Diogelwch a Rhwydweithiau yn BT Group: “Fel rhan o’n gwaith i gysylltu’r rhai sydd heb gysylltiad, rydym yn mynd ymhellach ac yn gyflymach nag unrhyw un arall i sicrhau bod gan bob cymuned wledig yn y DU y cysylltedd dibynadwy sydd ei angen arnynt. Mae mwy i’w wneud i ddileu’r gagendor digidol yn y DU yn llwyr ond mae ein cydweithrediad â thrigolion lleol Penmachno yn enghraifft ddisglair o’r hyn y gellir ei gyflawni pan fydd gweithredwyr symudol a chymunedau’n cydweithio i fynd i’r afael â’r mater yn uniongyrchol.”

Cysylltiedig ac yn diogel

Mae bod yng nghanol Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri yn golygu bod Penmachno yn denu llawer o dwristiaid, gan gynnwys cerddwyr a beicwyr mynydd. Mae'r trigolion David ac Emma Dallimore, sy'n reidio llwybrau beicio mynydd Penmachno yn rheolaidd, yn credu y bydd y diogelwch ychwanegol a ddarperir gan signal ffôn symudol dibynadwy yn annog mwy o bobl i ymweld â'r ardal: “Roedd diogelwch yn bryder mawr i bobl a oedd yn dod i'r ardal oherwydd nad oedd signal ffôn symudol. Os oedd pobl wedi'u hanafu, yn enwedig os oeddent allan yn reidio ar eu pen eu hunain, nid oedd unrhyw ffordd o gael gafael ar unrhyw un i helpu. Mae'r ffaith ei fod bellach yn fwy diogel yn beth da iawn i bawb.”

Maen nhw hefyd yn gyffrous am sut y bydd y cysylltedd newydd yn eu galluogi i ddefnyddio technoleg fwy cynaliadwy, gan gynnwys mesurydd clyfar a phwynt gwefru cerbydau trydan: "Mae yna bobl rydyn ni'n eu hadnabod yn y pentref sydd wedi cael signal ffôn am y tro cyntaf erioed ac maen nhw wrth eu bodd. Mae'n bwysig i weithredwyr symudol ddod i leoedd fel hyn a chynnig yr hyn sydd gan weddill y wlad, gan ei fod yn ein galluogi i gyfrannu a byw a gweithio yn y ffordd y gall pobl mewn ardaloedd mwy trefol."

Cysylltiad â'r we o dan y sêr

Mae Paul Huckstep yn gyd-berchennog Bythynnod Benar, busnes llety gwyliau lleol sy'n cynnig llety moethus mewn bythynnod o'r 16eg ganrif sy'n edrych dros y dyffryn cyfagos. Mae'r signal ffôn symudol newydd yn cael effaith gadarnhaol ar ei gwsmeriaid, y mae llawer ohonynt yn dod i archwilio llwybrau cerdded coedwig a glan yr afon Penmachno, yn ogystal â'i golygfeydd naturiol.

“Nawr bod gennym ni’r mast ffôn symudol, bydd yn gwneud rhedeg ein busnes yn haws. Yn y gorffennol, rydym wedi cael gwesteion yn gadael adolygiadau negyddol oherwydd diffyg gwasanaeth ffôn symudol, ond nawr mae hynny i gyd wedi diflannu. Gall gwesteion gyrraedd, agor eu ffonau pan fyddant yn cyrraedd yma, darganfod ble maen nhw’n aros ar y safle, a chadw mewn cysylltiad â phawb,” meddai.

Cysylltedd y dyfodol, i genedlaethau’r dyfodol

Mae'r mast newydd ym Mhenmachno yn rhan o waith parhaus EE i helpu i gau'r bwlch digidol yn y DU fel y gall cymunedau gwledig ffynnu yn yr oes fodern a denu cenedlaethau'r dyfodol i fyw a gweithio mewn cymunedau cefn gwlad.

Mae Owen Davis yn dad i bedwar o blant ac mae wedi byw ym Mhenmachno ers dros 25 mlynedd. Dywedodd: “Mae cael rhwydwaith symudol yma yn y pentref yn gwneud gwahaniaeth uniongyrchol i bawb sy’n byw yma, gan eu helpu i deimlo bod ganddyn nhw’r un cyfleoedd â lleoedd eraill. Pan fyddaf yn meddwl am fy nheulu ac yn enwedig fy mhlant iau, mae’n galonogol gallu dod o hyd iddyn nhw gan ddefnyddio offer fel Find my iPhone a gwybod ble maen nhw, gan nad ydym am eu cyfyngu pan rydyn ni’n byw mewn ardal mor hyfryd.”

Mae Owen hefyd yn gydlynydd ar gyfer Hwb Cymunedol newydd Penmachno – hen neuadd goffa’r pentref sydd wedi’i hadnewyddu’n ofod cymunedol bywiog a modern sy’n cynnal digwyddiadau, dosbarthiadau ffitrwydd a sesiynau sgiliau i bob oed.

Mae'n credu y bydd y cysylltedd newydd hefyd yn helpu i gefnogi'r economi leol wrth ddod â'r gymuned glos hyd yn oed yn agosach at ei gilydd: “Un o'r cyfleoedd rydyn ni'n eu harchwilio gyda'r Hwb Cymunedol yw cychwyn marchnad gynhyrchwyr lleol misol, i bobl werthu eu hwyau a'u llysiau ffres. Bydd y cyfle i allu defnyddio signal ffôn symudol i gymryd taliadau cerdyn ar-lein yn fanteisiol i ni.”

Mae ymchwil gan ddadansoddwyr yn Farrpoint sy'n archwilio effaith cysylltedd symudol yn Nhrawsfynydd, sydd 30 munud o daith mewn car o Benmachno, yn dangos y gall signal 4G o un mast EE ddarparu hyd at £383,000 mewn gwerth economaidd i gymunedau gwledig Cymru dros ei oes.

Mae buddsoddiad EE wedi ei weld yn ehangu ac yn cryfhau ei rwydwaith mewn mwy na 1,800 o leoliadau gwledig ledled y DU yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf, gan gynnwys rhai o'r cymunedau mwyaf anghysbell ac anodd eu cyrraedd – gan fynd â'i orchudd symudol yng Nghymru i lefelau record, gyda signal dibynadwy bellach yn cwmpasu mwy na 90% o dirfas y wlad.

- DIWEDD-