£1 billion deal agreed to improve rural mobile coverage
On 9 March 2020, ministers and bosses from UK mobile phone operators met to sign a £1 billion deal designed to tackle patchy rural phone coverage.
The deal will take 4G coverage to 95 per cent of the UK landmass by the end of 2025 with the greatest improvements seen in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Shared Rural Network (SRN) deal is part of the Government’s plans to improve digital infrastructure and ensure the provision of gigabit-capable connectivity. The Government has also pledged £5 billion to subsidise the roll out of gigabit capable broadband in the harder-to-reach areas of the country.
Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said:
“For too many people in the countryside a bad phone signal is a daily frustration
“So today we’re delivering on the Prime Minister’s 100-day promise to get a £1 billion landmark deal signed with industry to end poor and patchy mobile rural coverage
“This is an important milestone to level up the country, improve people’s lives and increase prosperity across the length and breadth of our United Kingdom.”
The full press release can be viewed here.