Damning report on rural connectivity: Enough is enough says CLA
CLA calling for national rural roaming to help boost mobile coverage
A damning new report from the National Audit Office on mobile connectivity has highlighted how rural areas are falling behind in the rollout of coverage.
It says delays in building new masts mean that it is currently unclear if the programme will meet its target of increasing 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by December 2025, and raises concerns about its affordability.
A total of £1bn is to be spent over 20 years to 2039-40 to deliver and maintain 4G coverage through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme.
The report said it is behind schedule, as "local delivery of the programme has proved more difficult than planned timetables allowed for".
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan said:
“As ever the needs of rural communities are being ignored. Today’s National Audit Office report on mobile connectivity recognises the CLA’s ongoing concern that mobile network operators will not be able to meet the deadlines set by Government on deploying 95% geographic 4G coverage by the start of 2026.
“Failure to meet the agreed deadlines simply perpetuates the ongoing rural-urban digital divide, holding rural businesses back and hitting economic growth.
“There should be no more excuses. If deadlines that had already been agreed by both government and the mobile industry cannot be met, it is now time to look at different solutions. The CLA wants to see the government impose national rural roaming on operators if they are unable to meet their commitments.”