Iconic seaside town has UK’s worst mobile phone signal — ‘tourists won’t return’

Row of colourful buildings on a hill in Tenby.

This famous town is one of the most-visited in Wales — but also has the UK’s worst mobile phone coverage (Image: Emily_M_Wilson via Getty Images)

It is among the best-known and most-visited seaside towns in the UK, its iconic seafront celebrated across the country and beyond. The Pembrokeshire gem attracts thousands of tourists annually, with its reputation for fine dining, welcoming pubs and stunning scenery continuing to flourish.

However, the town has now acquired a far less flattering distinction that is causing headaches for residents and visitors alike: it has been identified as having the worst mobile phone signal anywhere in the UK. Which? named Tenby’s postcode as the poorest for mobile network quality in 2025, a situation that was further worsened by the decommissioning of a phone mast in the area earlier in 2026, leaving O2, Vodafone and Three customers particularly affected.

According to Which?, mobile phone users in Tenby enjoy a “good” connection just 54.3% of the time on average — the lowest figure recorded anywhere in the UK. Only marginally ahead is Llandrindod Wells in mid Wales, where users fare only slightly better with a “good” connection 54.8% of the time. The best-performing areas are in south-east London and Nottingham.

Local workers and business owners warn the poor connectivity is hitting them financially, reports Wales Online, while tourists report it is dampening their experience. Steven Roberts, a local taxi driver, told the BBC that Tenby had become a signal “dead zone”, adding that it was seriously impacting bookings and payments.

“When you’re in the town you might put your phone in front of the door to keep it open because that’s all it’s good for,” said Steven, a taxi driver with three years’ experience in the area, who added that the poor signal made it extremely difficult to process card payments.

“You can be there for 10 minutes trying to get a signal and then that delays you for your next call. I’ve started putting posts on social media saying it’s cash only.”

An aerial view of a coastal area featuring a sandy beach, a pier extending into the water, and a small island with greenery and

Tenby has four beaches all within walking distance of the town centre (Image: (Image: Getty))

People sitting outside the Lifeboat Tavern in Tenby in summer sun

Tens of thousands of people visit the town every year (Image: Getty)

“It’s a case of gritting your teeth, asking them nicely if they don’t mind taking cash out, then you’ve got to wait for them to get to the cash machine and that knocks on your next call. It’s like you’re swimming against the current.

“During the summer periods you’ve got over 50,000 people here, something needs to be done. We pay enough money for our mobile contracts but they’re not upholding their side of the deal.”

Guy Manning, proprietor of a local art shop, told the BBC: “It’s difficult for me because people don’t always want to get cash. It can be difficult to take card payments because of the bad signal.”

He said he had “definitely” lost custom as a result of the issues: “People are on holiday, they’ve got family with them, and they’ve got an itinerary in their head. So they think ‘well we’ll come back’ but they don’t always do that. Or they ask ‘have you got a website?’, and you know then they’re not going to come back.”

Tenby is a hugely popular destination for tourists from across the UK. Those visiting during the summer months will be well accustomed to hearing regional accents from every corner of the country. However, Paul Wiston, who travelled to Tenby from Cheshire, told the BBC it would be a “struggle” for him to return.

“I’m self-employed so there’s nothing worse when people can’t get in touch with you,” he said. “I can’t even get the weather forecast up – it’s frustrating. I mean it’s a lovely place but just terrible signal. We walked home last night because we couldn’t call a taxi.”

Tenby, Wales, United Kingdom

Tenby’s unique seafront is famous around the UK (Image: Getty)

St George's Street, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales

The town is the perfect blend of historic and modern (Image: Getty)

An O2 spokesperson told the BBC: “We’re aware of the signal issues in Tenby and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. This is due to a local mast in the area being decommissioned. Our infrastructure partner, Vodafone, who manages the site, is working as quickly as possible to locate and install a replacement. Other masts in the area have been optimised to help minimise disruption.”

A spokesperson for Vodafone and Three said: “We’re sorry to Vodafone and Three UK customers in the Tenby area who are experiencing issues with their service. We are working with our infrastructure partner on a longer-term solution and are exploring temporary options to help restore coverage as quickly as possible.”

EE, which does not own the decommissioned mast and has not been involved in its removal, said: “We are actively looking at ways to enhance connectivity in Tenby and the wider area, including an upgrade to an existing mast site in Penally.”

alleyway decorated with flower baskets in Tenby, UK