Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Three set to miss rural broadband deadline

by June 29, 2024
June 29, 2024
Three set to miss rural broadband deadline

Three is likely to miss its rural broadband coverage targets as the deadline to address mobile signal “not spots” looms.

Mobile network operators have until July to extend their coverage to encompass 88% of the UK’s landmass, the initial goal of a £1bn government initiative.

While Vodafone has confirmed it will meet the deadline and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) is also on track, smaller rival Three has stated it is “working hard” to achieve the targets but has not confirmed its compliance.

BT, which owns the EE network, recently struck a rural coverage agreement with some of its competitors to help meet the deadline. Sources reveal that BT has arranged for VMO2 and Vodafone to access some of its mobile masts in remote areas.

EE, boasting more mobile masts than its rivals and contributing separately to the rural coverage project, met its initial target earlier this year.

These last-minute agreements highlight the urgency to upgrade rural mobile signals after the government denied requests for an 18-month extension. If Three fails to complete the first phase of the project, it risks incurring fines. The project focuses on “partial not spot” areas where coverage is provided by at least one operator but not all.

Ofcom, the regulator, has the authority to fine companies up to 10% of their global turnover but has indicated that any response would be “reasonable.” Three is expected to meet with Ofcom in the coming weeks.

Delays in the Shared Rural Network (SRN) project would negatively impact local communities awaiting upgrades to their vital telecoms infrastructure. A recent analysis by consultancy FarrPoint, commissioned by EE, revealed that 4G connectivity has generated economic benefits of up to £6.9 million over 15 years for rural communities.

The second phase of the SRN project, funded by the government, will target “total not spot” areas, where no operators currently provide 4G services. Ministers aim to cover 95% of the UK’s landmass by the end of next year and the entire country by early 2027.

A spokesperson for Three said: “We are working hard to meet the interim deadline and are on track to deliver the overall January 2027 target for 4G geographic coverage under the SRN programme.”

A BT spokesperson commented: “We’ve been in discussions with several other mobile networks in recent months to share sites to support their coverage efforts, and we’ll continue to collaborate with them on the next phase of the project.”

An Ofcom spokesperson added: “We’re responsible for assessing mobile network operators’ compliance with their coverage obligations, and we expect to receive data about their progress soon. Over the summer, we will conduct our own analysis, including drive tests to certain locations to verify coverage. An update on our findings and next steps will be published in due course.”

Read more:
Three set to miss rural broadband deadline

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Gary Lineker Scores Big with Podcasts as Football and Elections create a Hattrick of Earnings
next post
DNC insider claims Biden meeting with Obama, Democratic strategist following debate disaster

You may also like

Hard-up Britons cut back on food bills but...

April 11, 2023

CMA Launches Probe into Nationwide’s £2.9bn Takeover of...

May 31, 2024

UK business confidence jumps to nine-month high as...

May 30, 2025

Seabed power grid to link North Sea wind...

May 5, 2023

Britons must accept they will be poorer, says...

April 26, 2023

Britain falling behind with full-fibre broadband roll out

December 16, 2022

HMRC fined 184,000 low earners for not filing...

June 26, 2023

Sustainable Packaging: The Leading Trend in Cosmetic Industry

March 15, 2023

HMRC customer service deteriorates to “all time low”

February 28, 2024

Half of UK consumers recognise Made in Britain...

May 14, 2025

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Harmony Squad: Supreme Court Issues Six Unanimous Decisions

      June 5, 2025
    • Quick Login to AmourFactory: A Beginner’s Guide

      June 5, 2025
    • Disabling Trump’s “Tariff Button”

      June 5, 2025
    • ‘Sick puppy’ Tim Walz should never have been on Dems’ 2024 ticket, Trump says

      June 5, 2025
    • Federal judge orders Trump to restore funding to Clinton-era agency gutted by DOGE

      June 5, 2025
    • Musk says Trump would have lost 2024 election without him as ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ feud continues

      June 5, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,149)
    • Investing (2,011)
    • Politics (15,535)
    • Stocks (3,128)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved