Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 20 April 2026 to question 125033, what is her Department's estimate of the number of premises in (a) Ceredigion Preseli constituency, (b) Wales and (c) the UK that will still be without access to adequate mobile coverage from any mobile network operator when the UK's Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) are switched off.

The estimated number of premises currently without access to good mobile coverage for each of these areas based on the latest Ofcom data was provided in our answer to question 125033.

The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration of the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone across the UK, including in Ceredigion Preseli. The Government has had confirmation from major communication providers that no existing PSTN customers will be left without a landline alternative.

All network operator’s have committed significant investment in line with Government's ambition for standalone 5G to be available in all populated areas by 2030. In addition, the Shared Rural Network, jointly funded by the Government and the UK’s mobile network operators (MNOs), is utilising Government funding to incentivise mobile network operators to deliver commercial outdoor mobile coverage in rural areas, where there was previously limited or no 4G coverage at all. The programme has been successful in helping to achieve 96% 4G coverage from at least one operator across the UK landmass.

Government does not hold data on MNO’s future deployment plans. Along with the emergence of Direct to Device connectivity, this means that we cannot provide a reliable estimate of how many premises would be left without adequate mobile coverage from any operator at the point in time when the PSTN and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) are switched off. No existing PSTN customers will be left without a landline alternative.