Written question asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party) on Tuesday, 10 February 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 February 2015 (named day). It was answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot (Conservative) on Monday, 23 February 2015 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

4G: Hebrides

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 220134, whether the 90 per cent 4G geographical coverage will cover the Outer Hebrides.

Answer: The agreement announced on 18 December 2014 will improve coverage throughout the UK, and we expect the Scottish Islands will see one of the greatest improvements of any area. Under the agreement each mobile network operator (MNO) will provide voice and text coverage to at least 90% of the UK landmass by 2017, and we understand that data coverage will improve in many areas. This will lock in £5bn of investment in UK mobile infrastructure, halving partial not-spots and cutting complete not-spots by two-thirds. The MNOs have now made the agreed coverage obligations legally binding, by requesting that Ofcom vary their spectrum licences on a voluntary basis.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 224017
Session: 2014-15
Related items: 4G: Rural Areas
Monday, 12 January 2015
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Mobile phones Hebrides 4G
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk