{"value":{"id":1914101,"askingMemberId":350,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2026-06-09T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2026-06-11T00:00:00","uin":"8006","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to improve mobile connectivity in hard-to-reach rural communities in Lincolnshire.","answeringBodyId":216,"answeringBodyName":"Department for Science, Innovation and Technology","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":5039,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2026-06-18T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>Our ambition is for all populated areas to have access to high quality standalone 5G by 2030. This includes harder to reach rural communities, as well as towns and cities. 4G connectivity also remains important for many and with the help of Government’s Shared Rural Network programme, 4G coverage is now available to 96% of UK landmass. The programme will continue to help deliver 4G connectivity improvements to some of the hardest to reach areas of the UK. The programme is expected to conclude in January 2027.</p><p> </p><p>The rollout of higher quality standalone 5G is commercially led by the network operators. All three operators have committed to significant investment plans which align with this Government’s ambition. We are currently undertaking a Mobile Market Review with the aim of determining how Government can go further in supporting the sector to invest in high-quality connectivity right across the UK. A call for evidence supporting the review closed on 5 May, and Government will provide next steps later this year.</p><p> </p><p>We are also committed to unlocking the barriers to telecoms deployment, including supporting mobile network rollout through our recent call for evidence on planning reform in England. We are considering responses and will determine next steps in due course.</p><p> </p><p>As the first country in Europe to launch a direct-to-device satellite service, the UK is also leading the way in pioneering innovative solutions to enable calls and messaging in our most isolated areas.</p><p> </p><p>Based on Ofcom’s Connected Nations reporting, as of January 2026, by aggregating the coverage in the 9 local and unitary authorities in Lincolnshire, we find that 97.8% of the landmass of Lincolnshire had 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile network operators (MNO), whilst standalone 5G was available outside 96.3% of premises across the county from at least one MNO. This compares to 84% of the UK landmass having 4G geographic coverage from all four MNOs, and standalone 5G being available outside 93% of UK premises from at least one operator.</p><p> </p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Broadband: Lincolnshire","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1914101","method":"GET"}]}