Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that households in areas with poor indoor mobile coverage have reliable access to the emergency services by 2027.

According to Ofcom, 88% of UK premises have 4G indoor mobile coverage from all four mobile network operators, with almost 100% having coverage from at least one operator. However, we know that there is a range of local factors, such as building construction, which can affect user experience. Ofcom also provides advice on potential options that could improve mobile coverage indoors on its public facing website via the link here.

DSIT has not provided guidance to internet service providers regarding their obligations, as that is for the regulator Ofcom to consider. Ofcom sets the regulatory conditions for communications providers through their General Conditions of Entitlement, which requires communication providers to ensure continuous access to emergency services via 999 and 112. In 2018, Ofcom published guidance on how all communications providers should meet this duty, including in relation to customers who are dependent on a landline and may not be able to get a mobile signal.