National Parks England and the Mobile Operators Association have inked a deal that means people living in or visiting a National Park will get better mobile signal.
The Mobile Operators Association, which represents EE, O2, Three and Vodafone has pledged to improve the signal for communities in 10 National Parks of England without adversely affecting the environment.
To help meet these requirements, operators will be encouraged to share masts, preventing the need to erect new unsightly structures and ensuring the countryside remains as untouched as possible.
Where it is necessary to build new masts, the Mobile Operators Association will work with National Parks England to come up with less intrusive designs for the structures, helping them blend in with the landscape.
The initiative, announced by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for Communities and Local Government will cover Broads Authority, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Lake District, New Forest, North York Moors, Northumberland, Peak District, South Downs and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authorities.
Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: "Our National Parks are areas of incredible beauty but they are also places where people live and work.
"They need access to the modern communications that many of us have taken for granted for years. The new agreement could make a real difference to those who live, work or visit our glorious National Parks," he continued.
Environment Minister Lord de Mauley concluded that the need for better mobile signal in these areas is essential for business, claiming it was worth more than 4 billion to the UK economy.
"This spirit of cooperation is exactly what is needed to bring modern technology to remote areas so we can close the digital divide and help grow our rural economy," he said.
