Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of new 4G mobile signal constructed via the Shared Rural Network on communities in (a) total not spots and (b) partial not spots.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Shared Rural Network will deliver good 4G coverage - defined by Ofcom as 4G signals supporting nearly all 90-second calls being completed without interruption and data connections that deliver a connection speed of at least 2 Mbps.
Delivery of the partial not-spot programme is already underway with many new and upgraded sites already delivered. The mobile network operators (MNOs) and suppliers are currently assessing where new total not-spot masts should go and planning applications are being submitted. The most recent Connected Nations report published on 7 September showed increased 4G coverage mobile coverage from at least one MNO being available across 93% of the UK, up from 91% when the SRN was agreed in March 2020.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether customers will need to switch their mobile network operator in order to connect to new 4G mobile signal masts built by a different operator under the Shared Rural Network.
Answered by John Whittingdale
One of the outcomes of the SRN will be greater consumer choice, providing new coverage from networks not previously available in the area. New coverage in partial not spot areas will augment existing coverage, so no switch of network is required unless the consumer wants to move networks by choice.
Consumers can use both the mobile network operators' coverage checkers on their public websites, alongside Ofcom's coverage checker, to determine which operator might provide the best coverage in their area.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many (a) partial not-spots and (b) total not-spots for 4G mobile signal are in North Shropshire constituency.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Communications Act 2003 requires Ofcom to publish mobile coverage data. This data is made up of mobile signal coverage predictions provided by the mobile network operators.
Using Ofcom’s Connected Nations 4G geographic coverage data, 13% of the constituency area is made up of partial not-spots, with 0.4% being total not-spots.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many new 4G mobile signal masts have been constructed following the launch of the Shared Rural Network.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Any improvements from the SRN programme in North Shropshire will come from the industry-led element of the programme and as such DSIT are unable to provide any details on the precise location or number of new or upgraded masts that may be delivered specifically in North Shropshire as a result of the SRN.
We can confirm that the MNOs have said publicly that they have deployed more than 150 new masts and over 1500 upgraded masts across the UK as part of the industry-led element of the SRN.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many new 4G mobile signal masts have been constructed in North Shropshire constituency under the Shared Rural Network; and if she will list which mobile network operators were responsible for their construction.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Any improvements from the SRN programme in North Shropshire will come from the industry-led element of the programme and as such DSIT are unable to provide any details on the precise location or number of new or upgraded masts that may be delivered specifically in North Shropshire as a result of the SRN.
We can confirm that the MNOs have said publicly that they have deployed more than 150 new masts and over 1500 upgraded masts across the UK as part of the industry-led element of the SRN.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many new 4G mobile signal masts have been constructed by each mobile network operator under the Shared Rural Network in the UK so far.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Any improvements from the SRN programme in North Shropshire will come from the industry-led element of the programme and as such DSIT are unable to provide any details on the precise location or number of new or upgraded masts that may be delivered specifically in North Shropshire as a result of the SRN.
We can confirm that the MNOs have said publicly that they have deployed more than 150 new masts and over 1500 upgraded masts across the UK as part of the industry-led element of the SRN.