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The UK government ’ s plans to extend 4G mobile connectivity and broaden consumer choice in rural areas are behind schedule , according to a new National Audit Office ( NAO ) report .
Launched in March 2020 , the Shared Rural Network ( SRN ) is a joint programme funded by the Department for Science , Innovation and Technology ( DSIT ) and the UK ’ s four mobile network operators ( MNOs ): EE , Three , Virgin Media , O2 and Vodafone . Government considers access to good quality mobile connectivity key to growing the UK economy .
The SRN aims to achieve 95 % 4G mobile coverage across the UK landmass by December 2025 – up from 91.4 % when the programme launched in March 2020 . By Autumn 2023 , 92.7 % of UK landmass had 4G coverage , but the programme was behind schedule , with only EE announcing that it had met its interim coverage target . It is not yet clear whether the programme will meet its 95 % target on time .
Reasons for delay vary . Government and the MNOs took longer than expected to finalise mast locations , agree site sharing and access , and procure services . Progress on the programme has also been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic , opposition from local campaign groups and local authorities ’ capacity to handle planning applications .
Estimated costs have risen significantly on the programme , due to high inflation and other factors , although government does not yet know by how much in total .
As a result of cost pressures , MNOs may no longer be able to deliver the level of coverage required within the current funding , which includes £ 501 million (€ 585m ) of government funding , and £ 532 million of private sector funding – £ 1.033 billion in total .
Under the terms of their grant agreement with the government , MNOs bear any additional costs . However , if costs are excessive , MNOs may not be obliged to meet individual targets , further risking the overall ambition to achieve 95 % mobile coverage across the UK landmass .
DSIT ’ s business case suggests the investment will deliver economic benefits of £ 1.352 billion through supporting tourism and business productivity in rural areas . However , the business case included limited evidence of the specific benefits of extending mobile coverage into remote or sparsely populated areas .
Ofcom requires MNOs to meet a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps ( megabits per second ). DSIT anticipates an average download speed of 7 Mbps for rural areas , though the Department acknowledges some areas will have lower download speeds . DSIT expects these lower speeds to meet current needs but recognises that advances in technology could lead to people requiring
Report : Mobile connectivity behind schedule
The SRN aims to achieve 95 % 4G mobile coverage across the UK landmass by December 2025 – up from 91.4 % when the programme launched in March 2020
higher performance in the future , meaning the network may need upgrades .
The government ’ s plans for future mobile connectivity are outlined in DSIT ’ s 2023 Wireless Infrastructure Strategy , which was welcomed by MNOs and other stakeholders . The strategy aims to kick-start investment and innovation in 5G infrastructure and sets a new ambition for standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030 . DSIT estimates that widespread UK adoption of standalone 5G could deliver
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Achieving the 5G coverage ambition will be challenging . It will require significant investment from MNOs and DSIT will be reliant on accompanying action from other government departments and bodies that may have competing priorities for funding . DSIT
will also need to draw on its experience from previous infrastructure programmes , including the SRN , to help it address these issues .
The NAO recommends improved oversight of MNOs on the SRN programme to enable effective decision making and sufficient focus on delivering the 4G performance for consumers and businesses .
On 5G , DSIT ’ s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy should establish target dates for taking key decisions about the outcomes it is seeking ; determine the combination of enablers required to deliver 5G connectivity ; collect data on the market ’ s ability to meet the UK ’ s future 5G connectivity needs ; and learn lessons from delivering earlier digital infrastructure .
Gareth Davies , head of the NAO , said : “ Demand for mobile data access is expected to increase as data-intensive services become more popular and new technologies enable new uses , and government has set out a clear ambition for improved connectivity .
“ It is unclear whether the Shared Rural Network programme will achieve its coverage target on time ; costs are higher than anticipated ; and government has not clearly articulated the benefits of aspects of the programme , including increased connectivity in sparsely populated areas .
“ As government develops its 5G strategy , it will need to more clearly define what it is aiming to achieve in different parts of the UK and economic sectors , so that limited resources can be targeted where they deliver most value .”
6 EUROMEDIA