Shared Rural Network (SRN) Programme
Rural UK (National) · 2020-2025 (aiming for 95% 4G coverage across UK landmass by December 2025) · Over £1bn (jointly invested by government and mobile network operators) [71]
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchA unique collaboration between government and all four major mobile network operators to address rural connectivity issues [71, 72]. - Focus on a sustainable approach to avoid duplicating infrastructure [76]. - Adapting targets and focusing on hard-to-reach areas as the programme progresses [77].
Key engineering challenges
Improving mobile coverage in rural areas, particularly in partial and total not-spots [71, 75]. - Deploying new and upgrading existing phone masts in challenging rural environments. - Ensuring collaboration and interoperability between four competing mobile network operators.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- UK Government (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) and Mobile Network Operators (Vodafone, O2, Three, EE) [71, 72]
- Lead contractor
- Mobile Network Operators (Vodafone, O2, Three, EE) and Mova (managing and running the programme) [71, 73]
- Lead designers
- —
- Project type
- new build; upgrade
- Scale
- 95% 4G coverage across UK landmass by December 2025 (up from 91.4% in March 2020) [74]
- Disciplines
- Telecommunications engineering; radio frequency engineering; network engineering; public policy and infrastructure planning
- Standards & frameworks
- Ofcom regulations, UK Government mobile connectivity policy.
Sources: [71] Economy NI. Shared Rural Network (SRN). https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/articles/shared-rural-network-srn (Accessed: 2026-06-10). [72] OECD DPP. Policy Detail - Shared Rural Network (SRN). https://depp.oecd.org/policies/GBR1734 (Accessed: 2026-06-10). [73] Mova. Rural mobile coverage. https://movauk.com/our-work/rural-mobile-coverage/ (Accessed: 2026-06-10). [74] National Audit Office. Mobile connectivity programme behind schedule. https://www.nao.org.uk/press-releases/mobile-connectivity-programme-behind-schedule/ (Accessed: 2026-06-10). [75] GOV.UK. Shared Rural Network (SRN) progress update - September 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shared-rural-network-srn-progress-update-september-2024/shared-rural-network-srn-progress-update-september-2024 (Accessed: 2026-06-10). [76] SRN. About. https://srn.org.uk/about/ (Accessed: 2026-06-10). [77] GOV.UK. Update on Shared Rural Network total not-spots project. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/update-on-shared-rural-network-total-not-spots-project (Accessed: 2026-06-10).