Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Turner Excerpts

Thursday 16th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vaizey]

As I say, we continue to work with Ofcom to identify not-spots, but at the moment the mobile phone companies are undertaking a rapid roll-out of 4G technology. Originally the licences would have required only one operator to provide full 4G to 98% of premises by the end of 2017. We expect EE to have achieved that by the end of 2014 and the rest of the mobile operators to have achieved it by the end of 2015.

[Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) (Con)]

What has the Minister done to connect the final 5% on the Isle of Wight?

[Mr Vaizey]

I know that the Isle of Wight is benefiting from £6 million of funding and it should have reached 95% connectivity by next summer. We are undertaking pilots in 10 different areas to assess the costs of getting superfast broadband to the last 5% of the country.