UK Inquiry Tracker

Supporting mobile connectivity

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 22 Mar 2024 Closed: 29 May 2024 Parliament page

The Government has set a challenging ambition to deliver UK-wide reliable mobile connectivity. Its plans for 5G coverage are reliant on private sector investment, action from multiple departments and bodies, and learning lessons from the past. In March 2020, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) launched a connectivity … Read more The Government has set a challenging ambition to deliver UK-wide reliable mobile connectivity. Its plans for 5G coverage are reliant on private sector investment, action from multiple departments and bodies, and learning lessons from the past. In March 2020, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) launched a connectivity improvement programme the Shared Rural Network (SRN), which has led to 4G mobile coverage increasing from 91.4% in 2020 to 92.7% in 2023, against a target of 95% by 2025. The National Audit Office (NAO) has found that the SRN is behind schedule, with three out of the UK’s four network operators admitting they may not be able to deliver the coverage required within current grant funding. It further found that government is not currently monitoring progress effectively, and does not have the information to understand what the programme is costing. In 2021, the Committee’s report on Improving Broadband warned that digital inequality was compounding the economic inequality exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee concluded that government’s pledge to deliver nationwide gigabit broadband coverage was unachievable, and that the hardest-to-reach premises may struggle with fixed broadband for years to come. Based on the NAO report, the Committee will take evidence from senior officials from DSIT and its agency, Building Digital UK, on subjects including progress on plans to deliver UK-wide reliable mobile connectivity, and the current picture for the SRN. If you have evidence on these issues, please submit it here by 23:59 on 5 April 2024. Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere. The Committee cannot investigate individual issues with connectivity. If you have an individual concern you should contact your provider in the first instance. This inquiry was closed due to the 2024 General Election. Show less

7 Recommendations

27 Conclusions

1 Report

1 Oral session

1 Event

Activity timeline 4 events

11 Jul
2025

Report published

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty-fifth report from Session 2023-24

28 May
2024

Report published

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting mobile connectivity

22 Apr
2024

Oral evidence

Supporting mobile connectivity

22 Apr
2024

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Supporting mobile connectivity

Oral evidence sessions 1 session

22 Apr 2024

View on parliament.uk

Supporting mobile connectivity

Dean Creamer CBE · Building Digital UK Emran Mian CB OBE · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Sarah Munby · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting mobile connectivity	HC 650	28 May 2024	34	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

8 results

5 Conclusion Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Ensure public reporting on 4G connectivity progress for roads and premises targets.

The Department lacks up to date information to track progress on whether the Shared Rural Network programme will meet its targets for increasing connectivity on roads and premises. In addition to the overall target to increase 4G coverage to 95% … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees and states BDUK is committed to working with Ofcom and MNOs to ensure mobile coverage data continues to be published. BDUK is engaging with Ofcom to consider publishing more granular figures in upcoming statistical updates and exploring ways to track roads and premises coverage before Ofcom's 2027 assessment.

HM Treasury

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7 Recommendation Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Set out 5G investment achievements and establish meaningful targets for standalone 5G rollout.

The Department’s plans for supporting investment in 5G infrastructure are undeveloped and it has not articulated what it has achieved from taxpayers’ 8 Supporting mobile connectivity investment to date. Since 2017, the Department has committed over £500 million to determine … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees but states it has set an "ambition" for 5G coverage, not a specific target, and monitors this via Ofcom's reports. It notes previous 5G Testbeds and Trials programme outcomes were evaluated in 2023 and commits to providing evaluations of current programmes (Open Networks Programme and 5G Innovation Regions) upon their conclusion in 2025.

HM Treasury

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24 Recommendation Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Department lacks visibility on Shared Rural Network progress due to commercially sensitive operator data.

We asked the Department how it will know whether it has achieved its premises and roads targets and whether there was a risk of getting to the end of 2025 without being able to assess progress.45 The Department told us … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees and commits to working with Ofcom and MNOs to ensure mobile coverage data, including for roads and premises, is published and expanded, and will engage to consider tracking methods by January 2027, with a target implementation date of January 2025.

HM Treasury

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25 Conclusion Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Unverified road and premises coverage data makes programme impact difficult to determine.

The Department told us that it does have some numbers on the increased coverage of roads and premises, but that they are unverified and it is not confident in them.48 The Department estimates that, since the start of the programme, … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees and states it will work with Ofcom and MNOs to ensure mobile coverage data, including for roads and premises, continues to be published and expanded, and will engage with Ofcom to consider publishing more granular figures and tracking methods by January 2027.

HM Treasury

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27 Conclusion Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Poor mobile connectivity on railways is due to high costs and weak commercial case.

Connectivity along major rail routes remains poor. Passengers can struggle to make calls, stream videos or work online. The Department told us that improving connectivity on railways is challenging. It explained that it is hard for the signal to penetrate … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledges the conclusion about poor rail connectivity and associated challenges, outlining plans with Ofcom to report on rail coverage and a DfT study to establish baseline data by early 2025.

HM Treasury

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32 Conclusion Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Concerns over significant government 5G investment where commercial solutions might suffice

While we could see the logic of demonstrating the benefits of 5G, the sums involved have been large, and we were concerned that commercial operators could have worked out themselves what benefits they could get from standalone 5G without government … Read more

Government Response

The government highlights that standalone 5G deployment is commercially funded, while referencing existing initiatives such as the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy and monitoring progress via Ofcom data. It mentions past 5G Testbeds and Trials and ongoing Open Networks and 5G Innovation Regions, with an evaluation due in 2025.

HM Treasury

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33 Recommendation Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Department reluctant to directly fund 5G infrastructure, prioritizing commercially-led rollout approach

The mobile service company Ericsson wrote to us about the UK National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) Second National Infrastructure Assessment which stated that the government should prepare to act fast to support 5G deployment in areas where the market is unwilling … Read more

Government Response

The government reaffirms its commercially-led approach to 5G deployment without subsidy, stating it monitors progress, implements demand/supply interventions, and continues to work with industry to understand future intervention needs. It highlights ongoing programmes like Open Networks and 5G Innovation Regions.

HM Treasury

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34 Conclusion Acknowledged

Thirty-Fifth Report - Supporting m…

Department's 2030 standalone 5G ambition lacks clear definitions, funding, and concrete targets

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 … Read more

Government Response

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.

HM Treasury

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Government Response AI assessment · 33 of 7 classified

Accepted 20

Acknowledged 8

Deferred 3

Not Addressed 2

Total 7 recs + 27 conclusions