Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Accepted
Department is confident of meeting 2025 targets despite needing better impact understanding.
Conclusion
The Department recognised that it needs to do more work to understand its impact on road coverage, and told us it is working with Ofcom and with the mobile network operators to improve the information available.50 Nevertheless, the Department told us that it is confident that, come December 2025, it will be able to assess whether it has met its premises and roads targets,51 and that, based on the data it has received from the mobile network operators to date, it expects to meet the target.52 41 Qq 43, 51 42 Q 49; C&AG’s Report, para 2.3 43 Q 11 44 Q 27; C&AG’s Report, para 2.6 45 Qq 49–50 46 Qq 27, 49–50 47 Qq 27, 28 48 Q 28 49 Q 19 50 Q 19 51 Qq 49–50 52 Q 28 16 Supporting mobile connectivity Mobile coverage on railways
Government Response Summary
The government states BDUK is committed to working with Ofcom and mobile network operators to ensure mobile coverage data continues to be published and expanded, and is engaging to consider publishing decimal point coverage figures and better tracking roads and premises coverage ahead of the 2027 license obligation assessment.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2025 5.2 Ofcom is responsible for publishing national mobile coverage data, including data for road and rail, and MNOs may publish their own network coverage data as part of their own communications. BDUK is committed to working with both groups to ensure mobile coverage data continues to be published and, where possible, is expanded. 5.3 Ofcom regularly reports on 4G coverage through their Connected Nations reports. BDUK currently publishes the total UK mobile coverage figure in its Corporate Plan and Annual Report and Accounts. This figure is the same as the one presented by Ofcom in its Connected Nations report. BDUK is currently engaging with Ofcom to consider publication of a decimal point coverage figure in BDUK’s upcoming statistical updates. 5.4 BDUK is further engaging with Ofcom and the MNOs to consider ways in which roads and premises coverage can be tracked ahead of Ofcom’s licence obligation assessment in January 2027.