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Shared Rural Network: Finance

Asked by Aphra BrandrethConservativeDepartment for Business, Innovation, Science and TradeTabled Answered 8 September 2026UIN 24584

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to the Shared Rural Network.

Answered by Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

The Government has allocated up to £184 million to upgrade 190 existing Home Office masts across Great Britain through the Shared Rural Network's Extended Area Service project and up to £150 million to build up to 44 new masts in Scotland through the Total Not Spot project. These Government-funded elements of the Shared Rural Network are delivering new 4G mobile coverage to some of the UK's most remote rural areas and are scheduled to complete by January 2027. This funding also includes an allocation to cover the operating costs of these publicly funded sites.

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