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Broadband: Rural Areas

Asked by Sir Julian SmithConservativeDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled Answered 17 February 2026UIN 112125

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of localised connectivity limitations on rural households; and what steps he is taking to ensure that rural communities are not disadvantaged in comparison with urban areas.

Answered by Martin McCluskey

The Government is working closely with the DCC and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved properties in all regions as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, currently being trialled, will involve Virtual WAN (VWAN) - a new option that, with their consent, uses customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications.

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