Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Deferred
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 Summary
The government agrees but states that identifying specific unserved areas is not possible yet as site locations are not finalised; identification will be undertaken upon completion of the site acquisition phase, with a target date of January 2027.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2027 3.2 It is not possible to predict with a high degree of certainty the areas that will be left out of coverage at this stage in the programme. This is because the final number, composition and location of sites is not yet finalised – nor is it likely to be before the end of 2025. DMSL do already publish a high-level map of where coverage is expected to reach by the end of the programme, available on the SRN website and based on the initial radio plan submitted to Ofcom in 2020. 3.3 It is likely that, while a small percentage of the UK’s landmass will remain uncovered, the number of people living and working in these areas will remain extremely low; Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations report shows that 99% of UK premises already have indoor access to at least one mobile network operator’s 4G network already – meaning that very few premises across the UK are likely to remain without connectivity by the end of the programme. 3.4 Upon completion of the site acquisition phase of the programme, identification of remaining areas not set to be covered by 4G will be undertaken.