GovWire

Rural towns and villages across Wales will benefit from faster, more reliable mobile coverage as 7 UK government funded mobile network upgrades are now switched on.

Today (14 November) the UK government is announcing that 7 4G mast upgradesin North, South West and West Wales have gone live, bringing reliable connectivity to thousands of residents, local businesses and community organisations.

Rural communities and businesses can face constant buffering and slow download speeds when performing basic tasks online due to outdated mobile connectivity networks. This holds back regional economic growth and can widen the digital divide between urban and rural communities.

Upgrades to existing mobile masts announced today will help close this gap in Wales, withparts of Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park and Bontgochnow covered by fast 4G internet.This will connect friends and family, help emergency services to save lives, tackle crime and boost productivity for local businesses supporting the governments missions to break down barriers to opportunities and boost economic growth.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

From applying for jobs to staying in touch with loved ones, fast and reliable connectivity is an essential part of modern life and should be the digital reality for communities from Llandudno to Cardiff, which is why the upgrades announced today are a welcome step forward.

But we cannot ignore the fact that millions of people need support when it comes to navigating the online world. Thats why this government is committed to boosting digital skills no matter people live, to support people accessing essential services like banking, or education tools, helping them to get on with their lives and work.

The rollout comes as Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant visit Ebbw Vale in South Wales today to discuss how the UK government can work with charities and businesses to tackle digital exclusion, ensuring more rural communities can access the benefits of being online.

The Secretary of State and Minister will visit BGfm a local radio station and digital inclusion hub in Blaenau Gwent, supported by digital inclusion charity the Good Things Foundation to hear additional ways the UK government help tackle the digital divide and support more members of the public to get online.

Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

We are working tirelessly to address the connectivity concerns of rural communities to make sure everyone has access to the opportunities of the online world.

These upgrades mean businesses arent constrained by the limits of their mobile signal, 999 services are better equipped to save lives and fight crime, and residents and tourists can get online whilst enjoying the Welsh countryside.

By focussing on bringing digital connectivity and access to communities in every corner of the UK, we will continue to break down barriers to opportunity and kickstart economic growth.

In 2023 an estimated 1.5 million homes in the UK did not have an internet connection, meaning they couldnt easily access essential services like paying bills and checking bank statements. Bringing connectivity to rural areas is a crucial step to helping people get online.

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) a joint programme between the UK government and mobile network operators aims to tackle the gap with 26 government-funded mast upgrades now activated as part of the initiative. It follows the Chancellor confirming in last months Budget that the government will be investing over 500 million next yearin driving the rollout of digital infrastructure to under-served parts of the UK.

This latest rollout across Wales marks another step towards improving mobile coverage in rural areas across the UK, essential to achieve the governments mission to break down the barriers to opportunity. A total of 20 of these upgrades are based in Wales and more are planned in the coming months.

In August the government also signed a landmark agreement with Openreach to make around 170 million government investment available for them to deliver gigabit-capable broadband for around 70,000 Welsh hard-to-reach premises, including some in the most remote parts of the country from the South Wales Valleys to the Llyn Peninsula.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:

Powered by UK government investment, 7 new sites in Wales now have fast and reliable mobile internet access in areas where many would previously struggle to even send a text message.

Connectivity is critical for everything in day-to-day life in rural Wales from business to tourism, and particularly to ensure that emergency services can be contacted quickly and efficiently when they are needed.

This is an important step forward in our mission to kickstart the economy and unlock opportunity in rural areas across Wales.

The mobile connectivity boost announced today has been carried out by upgrading existing mobile masts which previously only connected EE customers and anyone making 999 calls, meaning communities can benefit from improved mobile internet access without the impacts of building new masts.

Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited said:

With the activation of 7 new Shared Rural Network sites, Wales is seeing significant benefits from the Shared Rural Network programme, bringing enhanced connectivity and opportunities to its rural communities.

Notes to editors

The Shared Rural Network programme is on target to deliver the combined coverage target of 95% of the UKs landmass by the end of 2025, with 94.9% of the UK now in range of 4G thanks to the programme (Source: Ofcom). Further coverage improvements in more hard-to-reach areas will continue to be delivered until early 2027. For more information visit the Shared Rural Network website.

Through the SRN programme, the UK government and the UKs 4 mobile network operators aim to provide 4G coverage to an additional 280,000 premises and 16,000km of the UKs roads.The programme also aims to improve 4G geographic coverage to 79% of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, up from 51% before the programme launched, and 74% of National Parks up from 41%, benefitting millions of visitors to rural areas every year.

The UK government is investing 184 million to upgrade Extended Area Service (EAS) masts to provide coverage from all four mobile operators. Currently, commercial coverage from EAS masts is only available from EE the operator responsible for the Emergency Services Network.