The House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts' (PAC) Supporting Mobile Connectivity report found that three of the four MNOs have already advised the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) that they are unlikely to meet the interim obligation set by Ofcom to increase their 4G coverage to 88 per cent of the UK landmass by 30th June 2024.
The report said that DSIT has more work to do to ensure the UK has the mobile connectivity it needs now and in the future.
Launched in 2020, the SRN programme aims to increase 4G coverage from 91.4 per cent of the UK landmass to 95 per cent by December 2025. Four years in, coverage is at 93.1 per cent.
It added that, to meet the 95 per cent target, progress will need to continue at the same rate as the past year, even though the remaining locations will be even harder to reach and connect.
The report also found that installation of the new masts will cost more than expected given the cost pressures on government's £501 million investment in the programme and delivery challenges.
The report said, "The Department is not yet certain by how much the programme’s costs will rise as a result of these pressures, how much of any cost increase will be borne by the taxpayer and whether cost pressures will affect mobile network operators' ability to achieve coverage targets.
"Furthermore, the Department has not confirmed which specific areas are in the 5 per cent of the UK that will not have 4G connectivity, and it does not yet have a plan to ensure people in these areas are not left behind. It has not communicated to stakeholders how any gains from increased mobile connectivity translate into better outcomes for consumers and businesses, especially in areas with very low populations."
PAC added that public reporting of mobile connectivity across the UK isn't fit for purpose. It added that Ofcom's data for measuring connectivity often doesn't reflect people's experience.
The report said, "People often experience worse coverage than reported because of local geography or building materials used within premises. The Department itself lacks information on whether mobile network operators are on track to meet targets to improve connectivity for road users and premises, and has insufficient data to judge whether connectivity on UK railways is improving.
"While the Department has a strategy for supporting 5G, we are unconvinced about what it has achieved to date for its £400 million investment or how it will demonstrate progress. We therefore encourage our successor Committee to keep a close eye on the above issues concerning both 4G and 5G mobile connectivity, and to continue to hold the Department to account for progress on both.
"New technologies—such as low orbiting satellites—are emerging very fast. The Government needs to consider these in conjunction with its other policies to ensure investment produces the most favourable results."