The UK government announced that mobile network operators EE, O2, 3 UK and Vodafone will sign a GBP 1 billion deal on 09 March to improve mobile connectivity in rural areas. This confirms the initial agreement proposed last October for the four operators to cooperate on improving coverage in less populated areas.
The Shared Rural Network (RSN) agreement will see the greatest network improvements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the deal set to boost 4G coverage to 95 percent of the UK landmass by end-2025.
The operators will invest in a network of new and existing phone masts, overseen by a jointly-owned company called Digital Mobile Spectrum. The network will provide guaranteed 4G coverage to 280,000 premises and 16,000 km of roads.
Philip Jansen, CEO of EE parent BT Group, said the SRN was "something we can all be proud of" and that building out reliable 4G access across the country was a national mission. O2 UK CEO Mark Evans said the collaboration between industry and Ofcom was a leading example of how to deliver infrastructure investment. 3 UK CEO Dave Dyson described the RSN as a "game-changer for the country", and Vodafone UK CEO Nick Jeffery said the programme was "unmatched anywhere in the world".
The agreement has legally binding commitments to be enforced by Ofcom, which will have the power to issue fines of up to 10 percent of an operator's gross revenue for failing to meet targets. The coverage obligations commit the operators to each reaching 88 percent coverage of the UK by 2024; each reaching 90 percent coverage of the UK by 2026; each reaching nation-specific coverage targets in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland by 2026; and collectively providing additional coverage to 280,000 premises and 16,000 km of roads by 2026.
