Three is likely to miss its rural broadband coverage targets as a deadline to tackle “mobile signal not spots” approaches.
Mobile network operators have until July to expand their coverage to 88% of the UK, the initial target 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 said it is “working hard” to meet the targets but has not confirmed its compliance.
BT, which owns EE’s network, recently struck a rural coverage deal with some of its competitors to help meet the deadline. Sources say BT has arranged for VMO2 and Vodafone to access some of its mobile phone towers in remote areas.
EE, which boasts a higher number of mobile towers than its competitors and is separately contributing to the rural coverage project, achieved its initial target earlier this year.
The last-minute deals highlight the urgent need to upgrade mobile phone signals in rural areas after the government rejected requests for an 18-month extension. If Three fails to complete the first phase of the project, it risks fines. The project focuses on “partially undefined” areas where coverage is provided by at least one but not all operators.
Regulatory body Ofcom has the power to impose fines on companies of up to 10% of their global turnover, but has indicated that any response would be “reasonable”. All three are expected to meet Ofcom in the coming weeks.
Delays to the Shared Rural Network (SRN) project could have a devastating impact on communities waiting for vital communications infrastructure to be upgraded. A recent analysis by consultancy FarrPoint, commissioned by EE, found that 4G connectivity has delivered economic benefits of up to £6.9m to rural communities over 15 years.
The second phase of the SRN project, funded by the government, will target “massive non-spot” areas, where there are no operators currently offering 4G services. Ministers aim to cover 95% of the UK by the end of next year and the entire country by early 2027.
A Three spokesperson said: “We are working hard to meet the interim deadline and are on track to meet the overall January 2027 target for 4G geographic coverage under the SRN programme.”
A BT spokesperson commented: “We have been in discussions with several other mobile networks in recent months to share sites to support their coverage efforts, and we will continue to work with them in the next phase of the project.”
An Ofcom spokesperson added: “We are responsible for assessing how well mobile network operators are complying with their coverage obligations and expect to receive data on their progress soon. Over the summer, we will be conducting our own analysis, including drive-through tests in specific locations to check coverage. An update on our findings and next steps will be published in due course.”
