Asked by: Viscount Colville of Culross (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to eliminate total not-spots through the Shared Rural Network; and what assessment they have made of whether the current delivery model is sufficient to achieve the elimination of total not-spots in the most rural areas.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Shared Rural Network (SRN) has already delivered its core objective, 4G mobile coverage from at least one mobile network operator to 95% of UK landmass, a year ahead of schedule. However, there are still rural areas of the UK where there is either limited or no mobile coverage, and the SRN continues to deliver new coverage to these communities. We have already upgraded 110 of 190 Home Office masts and activated the first of up to 44 new total not-spot masts which are already delivering new 4G coverage in the most rural areas. While the SRN will not remove every total not spot, it is designed to deliver coverage where it will have the greatest benefit, primarily where people live, work and travel. On this basis, Government assesses that the current delivery model is a proportionate and cost-effective way of addressing the majority of connectivity gaps in rural areas while ensuring value for public money.