Ahead of a debate in the House of Commons, the Countryside Alliance has shared a briefing note about mobile connectivity in the countryside.
The full briefing note can be downloaded here, and the key points have been summarised below.
- The Countryside Alliance welcomed the creation of the Shared Rural Network and
has been pleased to see the progress it has made, through both private and
government investment, in addressing connectivity disparities between urban and
rural areas.
- The Rural Charter – the Countryside Alliance manifesto for the 2024 General
Election – called on all parties to deliver a connected countryside. We asked that
the next government provide the investment needed to improve internet
connectivity for very hard-to-reach premises and ensure the Universal Service
Obligation can help deliver connectivity to rural communities.
- While the 2025 Budget did not include substantive new measures affecting
connectivity, the Countryside Alliance welcomed the Chancellor’s commitment in
the 2024 Budget of over £500 million of continued investment in digital
infrastructure through the Shared Rural Network and Project Gigabit.
- A report issued by Vodafone in November 2023 found that nearly half (46%) of rural
deprived areas are classed as 5G not-spots, whereas the same can only be said for
2.7% of urban deprived communities.
- Ofcom’s Connected Nations report, published in November 2025, provided further
evidence of rural areas lagging behind urban areas in 5G access, 5G installations
on mobile network infrastructure, 4G outdoor availability and 4G and voice indoor
availability.
- Successive governments have made policy decisions to deliver more services
online to make savings. As such, it is only right and fair that everyone has access
to a stable internet connection to enable them to engage. Remote rural communities
must not be penalised by paying an excessive connection charge to access basic
services, as necessitated by the government policy of digital by default.