Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Accepted
Reported mobile coverage often overstates real-world user experience, particularly in rural areas.
Conclusion
Ofcom is responsible for collecting and publishing data on mobile coverage. Ofcom’s coverage data are based on modelled estimates provided by the mobile network operators. Ofcom checks the modelled data by conducting sample tests using antennas attached to some of its vehicles.33 We showed the Department maps of 4G and 5G coverage across the country which are based on Ofcom’s reported coverage; the Department acknowledged that people’s experience of mobile coverage may be worse than what is reported by Ofcom.34 The Local Government Association also wrote to us with its concerns about the disconnect between the level of reported coverage and the real-life experience of residents, especially in rural areas.35 The Department said that local factors, such as trees, geography and the type of building materials used within premises, can mean people experience worse coverage than Ofcom reports.36
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and commits to working with Ofcom by January 2025 to improve mobile coverage reporting by obtaining more granular signal strength data from MNOs and experimenting with crowdsourced data to better align reported coverage with real-life experience.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2025 4.2 Ofcom has an ongoing programme of work to improve mobile coverage reporting, which includes: • Obtaining further information from MNOs about signal strength at a more granular level and about signal quality; • Experimenting with crowd sourced data; • Considering whether the signal strength thresholds they use remain appropriate as consumer demands and technologies evolve. 4.3 The department is working with Ofcom to explore options for providing more accurate reporting, including exploring ways in which data from third parties can be incorporated into Ofcom’s data. As well as considering the use of crowd sourced data and measurement data provided by local authorities and other third parties, the department will work with Ofcom to consider other ways that consumers can report gaps in coverage. 4.4 Ofcom has set out its expectations for how the Mobile Network Operators should implement the switch- off of 2G and 3G networks to ensure that customers are treated fairly and can continue to access the services they need. The department will ask that Ofcom examines any cases where areas have lost all mobile connectivity following 3G switch off. 4.5 The department has asked Ofcom to report on the extent of standalone 5G coverage as it starts to be deployed and to keep under review its definitions of good 4G and 5G coverage to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. The department will continue to engage with Ofcom as it refines its reporting mechanisms for 5G standalone and its review of the definitions of good 4G and 5G coverage.