Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she is taking steps to improve mobile phone signal strength and coverage in Shropshire.

This Government is taking steps to improve both 4G and 5G coverage across the country.

With industry, we are investing £1 billion in the Shared Rural Network (SRN) to extend 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by the end of 2025. Shropshire will see coverage improvements to partial not-spots areas where there is coverage from one but not all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), and to total not-spots where there is no coverage from any operator.

In our recently published Wireless Infrastructure Strategy (11 April 2023), we have set a new ambition for nationwide coverage of standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030.

We have also taken steps to make it easier and cheaper for operators to deploy 4G and 5G wireless connectivity by reforming the planning system in England. Alongside this, measures within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, will support upgrades of sites to 5G.