Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the (a) quality and (b) total area coverage area for (i) 5G and (ii) other wireless data reception in (A) Wokingham and (B) along intercity transport routes; and what steps he is taking to improve in 5G coverage in those areas.

Our ambition is for all populated areas to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030, and 95% 4G geographic coverage by the end of 2025. We are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition, alongside improving mobile connectivity for rail passengers.

Although I am conscious that reports of mobile coverage often do not accurately represent people’s lived experience and have written to Ofcom to urge them to review their reporting, they state that 98% of the Wokingham constituency area has 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile operators, and 93% of all roads have in-vehicle 4G coverage from all four operators. Also according to Ofcom, basic (non-standalone) 5G is available from at least one mobile operator outside 91% of premises. Ofcom does not currently publish data on 5G in-vehicle coverage, or coverage data for the rail network, but my own anecdotal experience suggests that 5G coverage along inter city routes is intermittent, poor and at times nonexistent.

The Shared Rural Network programme will improve mobile connectivity on an additional 16,000 kilometres of roads across the UK.