Mobile Phone Signal: Rural Communities
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Contributions
Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)Conservative
3. When she expects all rural communities to have a reliable mobile signal.
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Suffolk Coastal) (Lab)Labour
12. What steps she is taking to improve mobile coverage in rural areas.
The Minister for Digital Government and Data (Ian Murray)Labour
This Government believe that all communities must have the reliable mobile coverage that they need, whether it is for staying in touch with loved ones or for accessing healthcare online. We continue to work closely with the mobile network operators to remove barriers and support investment, and that will ensure that people benefit from high-quality, resilient mobile connectivity right across the United Kingdom.
I am grateful to the Minister for his answer, but villages in my constituency—less than 50 miles from where we all are now—such as Cuddington and Bryants Bottom still have zero mobile coverage. I have raised this issue with the Minister’s predecessor and all the networks. When are we going to get to a point where warm words about rural connectivity turn into actual rural connectivity?
The shared rural network has already delivered for 95% of the UK’s land mass a year early, and we are fully committed to making sure that 4G is available to all our populations. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to write to me, I would be very happy to meet him about the specific notspots in his constituency.
In Suffolk Coastal, about three quarters of households have indoor service for voice calls, compared with the national average of over 90%. Across Woodbridge, Bawdsey and the peninsula, so many households rely on network coverage, but they have zero service. Will the Minister meet me to discuss this important issue, which affects not just my constituency but rural constituencies as a whole?
Many Members raise with me the particular issue of notspots in their constituencies, as well as where connectivity is not as good as we would like it to be. I would be very happy to offer a meeting to my hon. Friend.
Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 5072292.