UK government accelerates 4G roll-out in rural Wales

Following a noticeable recent momentum in its rural mobile enhancement programme, the UK government is now focusing on rural towns and villages across Wales with its Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, as seven 4G mast upgrades in North, South West and West Wales have gone live, bringing reliable connectivity to local businesses and community organisations.

To date, a large number of rural communities and businesses can still face constant buffering and slow download speeds when performing basic tasks online due to outdated mobile connectivity networks, holding back regional economic growth and widening the digital divide between urban and rural communities.

The SRN upgrades to existing mobile masts in Wales, with parts of Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park and Bontgoch, will help close this gap, boosting productivity for local businesses, breaking down barriers to opportunities and boosting economic growth.

Launched in 2020, the £1.3bn SRN programme is a joint initiative between the UK’s four mobile network operators – EE, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), Three and Vodafone – and the UK government to extend 4G connectivity to 95% of the UK’s landmass by the end of 2025.

The founding principle is that through both public and private investment, new and existing phone masts will be built or upgraded across the UK to close down so-called rural mobile notspots.

Under the scheme, the four operators have committed to improving 4G coverage and levelling up connectivity across the UK, which has seen them invest in a shared network of new and existing phone masts, overseen by a jointly owned company called Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited. The operators’ £532m investment is being complemented by more than £501m in government funding.

A total of 20 of the UK government’s SRN upgrades have been based in Wales, and more are planned in the coming months. In addition, in August 2024, the government signed an agreement with leading fixed broadband provider Openreach to make around £170m of investment available to deliver gigabit-capable connectivity 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.

The UK government is investing £184m 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.

“Powered by UK government investment, seven 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,” said Jo Stevens, the UK government’s Welsh secretary.

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