Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Department lacks exact knowledge of specific geographical areas without 4G coverage post-programme.
Recommendation
The Department’s business case for the Shared Rural Network programme did not confirm which specific geographical areas would benefit from better coverage as a result of the programme and which would not.29 We therefore asked if the Department now knew which specific geographical areas would have lower coverage after the programme ended. The Department replied that it had a broad idea, based on the data in Ofcom’s latest 23 Q 38 24 Qq 7, 11, 12 25 Q 11 26 Q 11 27 Qq 12, 18 28 Qq 40, 41 29 C&AG’s Report, para 2.13 Supporting mobile connectivity 13 Connected Nations report and the programme’s plans for installing masts. However, it would not know the exact areas until the plans were implemented and there was still some uncertainty over the number of masts that would be delivered under the programme.30
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 11 July 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗