How Martyn’s Law Affects Mobile Signal Requirements for Public Venues

With Martyn’s Law set to come in, a lot of public venues are reviewing their emergency plans and making sure everything is up to scratch. For anyone not familiar, Martyn’s Law is the name given to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. Its whole purpose is to make sure spaces where people gather are properly prepared for emergencies, both in planning and in how quickly everyone can respond if something serious does happen.

There’s one issue that sometimes gets missed and honestly, it’s probably the one that will make or break any plan when it’s actually needed. Reliable communication.

Why Communication Should Be at the Centre of Every Emergency Plan

There’s an incident, it’s loud and confusing, and everyone needs to know what to do. Staff need to coordinate with each other and guide visitors to safety. People might need to call 999 and explain exactly where they are and what's happening. Sometimes the emergency services are inside the building and they need to keep talking to their teams outside.

So, what happens if the mobile signal is non-existent or weak? People can’t call for help. Instructions get missed. Panic sets in much faster. It becomes a direct risk to safety and has an effect on how quickly help can arrive.

Why Buildings Cause So Many Signal Problems

We hear it all the time from venues, offices, schools and shopping centres. Most of these buildings are made out of materials that are used in modern construction. Materials like concrete, steel, insulation, or even some types of window glass are notorious for blocking mobile signal. It’s almost impossible to avoid with modern buildings. You can have fantastic energy efficiency and all the right design features, but the indoor mobile signal you really need, just doesn't work reliably.

For a long time, this has mainly been seen as just frustrating. But with Martyn’s Law making venue safety plans a legal requirement, poor mobile signal can't be ignored anymore. It’s a critical gap that leaves staff, visitors and even emergency services cut off when they’re indoors.

Solving the Problem with Mobile Signal Boosters From Signal Solutions

So, what can you actually do to fix this? The only dependable way is with professionally installed, Ofcom-compliant mobile signal boosters. Not the cheap, illegal ones you find online, but reliable equipment that takes good signal from outside, brings it in, and distributes it where needed indoors.

At Signal Solutions, we’ve installed hundreds of these systems across the UK and Europe. The core technology we use is Nextivity’s CEL-FI equipment. It’s the industry standard for good reason. Unlike most boosters, CEL-FI technology is fully compliant, totally legal, and works with every mobile network. This is huge for public venues because you never know which network your visitors, staff or the emergency services will rely on.

Our team handles the whole process: site surveys so we know exactly where your weak spots are, a tailored system design for your building, all the installation with minimum disruption, and final checks to make sure every corner is covered. That gives staff, visitors and first responders the coverage they need, wherever they are on-site.

Don’t Let Poor Signal Be the Weak Link in Your Emergency Plan

Mobile signal is so easy to overlook. It just isn’t something most people think about until it fails at the worst possible moment. With Martyn’s Law, it’s worth getting ahead of the issue before it becomes one. The rest of your emergency planning depends on everyone being able to communicate when it matters most.

If you manage any kind of public venue and you’re not sure about your building’s coverage, or you know there are areas where calls just don’t go through, please get in touch. We’re always happy to have a chat, come for survey, and recommend the right CEL-FI solution for your building. It’s one simple step that can make a world of difference during an emergency.

Why not start off with our free solution design and quote? We just need to ask you a couple questions and also for you to provide floor plans if possible. This is a quick and easy way to see what we can do for your building. Free Solution Design and Quote Here!

For more about Martyn's law, click here and have a read: Martyn's Law