Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to improve mobile coverage in rural areas.

In March 2020, we agreed a deal with the UK’s mobile network operators to deliver the Shared Rural Network programme. This agreement will see the government and industry jointly invest over £1 billion to extend 4G mobile coverage to 95% of UK landmass by the end of 2025. The programme is already delivering coverage improvements across the UK. 4G geographic coverage is approaching 93%, which is up from 91% when the Shared Rural Network agreement was signed.

In April 2023 we published the UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy which set a new ambition of nationwide coverage of higher quality standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030. It also emphasised our unwavering commitment to extending 4G coverage to 95% of the UK’s landmass and set out a 10-point plan to support rural connectivity, including the appointment of a Government Rural Connectivity Champion. Simon Fell MP was appointed to the role in June.