12 September 2024: Ofcom has today published an update on the compliance of the UK’s four mobile network operators with their Shared Rural Network coverage obligations. Key findings include:
- 94.9% of the UK landmass now has coverage from at least one MNO
- “full” coverage areas have increased from 66% of the UK landmass at the start of 2020 to over 78% of the UK landmass today. At the same time the scale of partial not spots have reduced from approximately 25% of the UK in 2020 to approximately 17% of the UK in July 2024
- the MNOs have collectively provided around 3.5% new coverage in areas that were Total Not Spots in 2020
- in total, around 3 million 100x100m pixels (the equivalent of around 30,000 non-contiguous square kilometres)have gone from having no or partial coverage to full coverage across the
4 MNOs - there are now many more locations where consumers have more choice. It also means there are many fewer rural locations with patchy or limited coverage than in 2020
The full statement can be found on the Ofcom Website.