Recommendation 22

As part of the wireless infrastructure strategy, the Department asked Ofcom to improve its understanding of local coverage gaps. In 2023, Ofcom started using crowdsourced data to better measure the speed of connection that people experience at a local level. The Department explained that it would like similarly detailed data for areas with no mobile coverage, but that the crowdsourced data cannot yet provide this. Nonetheless, the Department told us that it expects big improvements in the level of detail of the coverage data that Ofcom will be publishing later in 2024.40 Such improvements should benefit consumers as better information about gaps in coverage should incentivise mobile 33 Qq 24, 44; C&AG’s Report, paras 1.8, 3.21 34 Qq 16, 24 35 Local Government Association (SMC0001) 36 Q 24 37 Qq 23–24, 27 38 Qq 41–42; C&AG’s Report, para 5 39 Qq 42, 46 40 Qq 24, 44 Supporting mobile connectivity 15 network operators to improve their coverage. We asked the Department whether there was any way for members of the public to feed in when and where they are not getting a good signal. The Department responded that, while no such site currently exists, it would speak to Ofcom about developing a central repository for people to report coverage gaps.41 Measuring improvements to road and premises coverage