With Boris onside, we can boost connectivity across the country
The successful economies of the future will be those that effectively seize the potential of digital technology. It is particularly important that we in the UK take heed of this message, as businesses face ongoing uncertainty in the approach to the government’s Halloween Brexit deadline.
So what progress is being made to realise this potential? Well, all four UK mobile operators are launching 5G networks this year, providing a platform for new digital services that will leave no industrial sector untouched by the positive and transformational impact offered by this new technology.
Mobile connectivity is well on the way to eclipsing fixed connectivity in its importance to the economy. That eclipse could be complete by 2026.
It has been encouraging to see our new Prime Minister repeatedly state his commitment to deliver full-fibre broadband to every UK home by 2025. However, that timescale is challenging – only seven per cent of UK properties so far have full-fibre broadband – and it will cost about £30bn.
The good news for the government is that there is a plan already on the table that will deliver more powerful results, at a quicker pace, for a fraction of the cost.
The Shared Rural Network (SRN) is a programme of mobile digital infrastructure development and investment, put together collaboratively by the UK’s four mobile operators. Its objective is to improve mobile coverage massively in rural areas across the UK.
Mobile coverage has already improved a great deal in recent years – funded and delivered by the mobile industry. 4G coverage is now provided in almost all locations where there is a business case for doing so, including 99 per cent of properties.
However, only 67 per cent of UK landmass receives 4G coverage from all four operators, and about seven per cent of the UK receives no 4G coverage at all.
That is why all four operators put together the SRN to transform and expand our respective rural digital infrastructure into a single network asset that we can all use and share.
But if the SRN is to achieve its fullest impact, the government must fund a programme of infrastructure expansion in rural areas by reducing the £200m annual spectrum licence fees paid by the industry.
This measure should replace the regulator Ofcom’s original intention to offer discounts of between £700m and £800m on certain licences in the next spectrum auction in exchange for improvement in rural connectivity.
The SRN offers more for less: better 4G coverage across rural areas from all operators (instead of just one or two), at a cost which is a small fraction of the budgets for HS2, Crossrail, and the Prime Minister’s broadband pledge.
The government and Ofcom should also support the SRN by ensuring that all mobile operators are able to acquire contiguous blocks of spectrum, so that they can use it more efficiently, providing a better 5G service to customers and maximising the boost that 5G tech can give to the UK economy.
Finally, there needs to be further reform of planning policy and easier access to government-owned properties that are in prime locations for digital infrastructure.
Over the past few months, we have had positive dialogue about the SRN with Ofcom and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Now is the time for the new government to be bold, continue the momentum and progress of those talks, and reach a full agreement.
The implementation of the SRN can then begin to lift all-operator 4G landmass coverage from its current level of 67 per cent to 92 per cent.
If the government truly believes that mobile connectivity is an essential service, it must take the decisions that are required to enable its delivery.
To do otherwise would deprive businesses and consumers in rural Britain of better mobile coverage, and discourage the investment needed to deliver widespread connectivity, 5G leadership, and a successful economy.
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