Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Acknowledged
Department's 2030 standalone 5G ambition lacks clear definitions, funding, and concrete targets
Conclusion
The Department has stated that it wants to see standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030.66 Although non-standalone 5G is more widely available, the Department thinks it unlikely to meet the UK’s future connectivity needs. The Department has yet to define what it means by populated areas or to set out the level of performance needed.67 We asked the Department about what this target would look like in practice, in terms of landmass coverage, and how close it was to meeting it. The Department responded that the vision for 5G in 2030 is not a target but an ambition as, without providing funding, it has no control over the level of 5G coverage achieved.68 65 Qq 17, 52, 61 66 C&AG’s Report, para 15 67 Q 61; C&AG’s Report, paras 4.6, 4.7 68 Q 63 Supporting mobile connectivity 19
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's observation, reiterating that standalone 5G deployment is an ambition, not a target due to commercial funding, and states it monitors progress via Ofcom's reports and will evaluate ongoing programs by 2025.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2025 7.2 Standalone 5G deployment by the MNOs is funded by commercial investment, with no government subsidy. That is why the department set an ambition for standalone 5G to all populated areas, rather a specific target, through the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy. The department monitors progress against its ambition by using the 5G coverage data published in Ofcom’s Connected Nations report. The Strategy also included a comprehensive framework of demand and supply side interventions to support 5G deployment by the MNOs. The department continues to work with industry to understand what further interventions are needed to support 5G investment. 7.3 The 5G Testbeds and Trials programme, completed in 2021, highlighted the benefits of 5G and tested innovative applications and deployment methods. This helped businesses and the public sector understand the benefits of 5G, how to adopt them and accelerated the development and deployment of open interface architectures. The interim evaluation for the programme was published in 2023 and informed the government’s 5G ambitions set out in the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy. 7.4 The Open Networks Programme, which aims to support diversity of supply in the UK’s 5G supply chain, and the 5G Innovation Regions are still in delivery. The 5G Innovation Regions are delivering 5G solutions across the UK, helping the public sector and businesses develop their use cases for 5G while building up local infrastructure. The department will provide an evaluation of these programmes following their conclusion in 2025.