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I read a post online:

There was a bit of a run down historically with a nod to medieval shit carters but the focus was on prisons and meat processing.

A lot of these places are in the middle of nowhere, a lot don't even have phone cover.

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Is "phone cover" formal English meaning "phone coverage"? That is, the writer means "a lot don't be covered by phone (there are no signals there, which renders your phone useless)"?

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    The casual language, 'a bit of a run down', 'a nod to...' and particularly 'shit carters' points to the use of an informal register, but yes, you have understood the meaning. Note that people older than (maybe) 40 might see 'phone' as ambiguous (they remember land lines), and prefer something like 'mobile phone coverage' or 'cell phone coverage'.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Apr 30, 2023 at 9:21
  • Does "a run down historically" mean "a microcosm of history" there?
    – NewPlanet
    Commented Apr 30, 2023 at 13:23
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    It seems to mean that the program did a short "run though history" But it is not expressed properly or clearly - it's just a web forum post, and not written well.
    – James K
    Commented Apr 30, 2023 at 13:26
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    I see a 'run down' as 'a brief summary'. A badly written web forum post.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Apr 30, 2023 at 13:30
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    In the UK, I might hear 'phone cover' and think of mobile/cell handset insurance. 'Coverage' is better perhaps if the topic is signal strength or presence.
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Apr 30, 2023 at 22:01

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It does seem to mean "coverage" here, i.e. ability for a phone's signal to reach cell phone towers from a variety of locations.

But it's not a normal short form and reflects the somewhat casual, even careless writing style of the post.

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    Careless is right.
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 30, 2023 at 15:06

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