The UK’s mobile phone operators could be forced by Government to invest more in next generation services after figures showed thousands of miles of roads have no 3G coverage at all.

Ofcom said it was launching an investigation of the 3G and 4G speeds of each operator in the country, admitting that some parts were cut-off from the so-called super-speed revolution happening in towns and cities across the UK.

The regulator revealed that just 35 per cent of the length of Britain’s A and B roads were served by all major 3G networks such as Vodafone and EE. Nearly 10 per cent of the 30,000 miles of major roads have no 3G service whatsoever.

And down in Devon and Cornwall that percentage decreases rapidly.