East Anglia must be at the front of the queue to benefit from a 'landmark deal' struck by the government to improve mobile phone coverage, community leaders have demanded.

The government will today hail an agreement with the big four mobile phone companies which will see a £5bn investment into the UK's mobile phone infrastructure and full coverage to 85pc of the country by 2017. But the government has ditched plans for European-style rules to force mobile phone companies to share masts in return for this legally binding deal. Businesses, councillors and MPs have long bemoaned the poor coverage in some parts of the region, where not-spots mean mobile phone coverage is poor or non-existent.

However, it will be left up to Vodafone, O2, EE and Three to decide where they invest their cash, and George Nobbs, leader of Norfolk County Council, said the county needed to be at the forefront of improvements.

He said: 'I welcome this because Norfolk has suffered too long from poor coverage, which has hampered the ability of businesses to fulfil their potential.

'It is good news, providing Norfolk doesn't end up being the 10pc which still does not get coverage.

'Communications and infrastructure have been my priorities since the day I took office and Norfolk is entitled to this investment.'

Jon Clemo, chairman of the Norfolk Rural Community Council, welcomed the commitment.

He said: 'Rural areas have continued to suffer from a deficit in mobile infrastructure, alongside various aspects of other infrastructure. Mobile telephone access is an increasingly critical part of both ensuring access to services and supporting a modern rural economy.

'This is a critical move forwards in ensuring the rural communities remain excellent places to work and live.'

But he said if 10pc of the country remains without coverage, that could still leave significant gaps in the county.

He said: 'There is always a risk that improvements in some areas create a greater inequality across the county. Where possible we need to look at solutions to ensure a minimum standard of coverage.'

Much of the £5bn investment, which the government will announce today, has already been committed.

Vodafone has already launched its £1bn Rural Open Sure Signal programme which has seen a number of Norfolk villages promised investment, including Martham, Horning, Loddon, Croxton, Salhouse, Saxthorpe and Reepham.

High Kelling, Hillington, Upper Sheringham and Blakeney were among some of the first communities to be picked for the programme.

This newspaper has been running a campaign to highlight the problem of 'not-spots' in the region, while in Suffolk a forum including business, tourism and farming leaders, alongside the county's MPs, is being set up to put pressure on mobile firms and the government to improve coverage. It will link into the Better Broadband for Suffolk campaign.

There were frantic scenes during the December floods in Wells last year when poor mobile phone signals meant flood wardens had to use bicycles to get safety messages to people.

What do you think? Write (giving your full contact details) to: The Letters Editor, EDP, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1RE or email EDPLetters@archant.co.uk