The UK government and three mobile network operators have announced plans for the next stage of 4G rollout under the Shared Rural Network (SRN) initiative, including a decrease in the number of state-funded masts when compared to initial plans.
Building Digital UK (BDUK), the government agency overseeing state-backed digital infra projects including SRN, said operators have achieved key SRN targets early, including the provision of 4G coverage to 95% of the UK’s landmass (which they had originally sought to reach by the end of 2025).
As initially planned, BT, Virgin Media O2 (VM O2), and VodafoneThree will now focus on covering ‘total not-spots’ (TNS) — areas with no 4G coverage and no commercial build plans — in rural parts of Scotland.
However, as recently rumoured, BDUK has slashed the number of new-build towers within the plan. The final total is not clear, but it looks set to be significantly lower than the 260 sites it had previously said it would be reaching. As of June 2025, planning applications for 44 government-funded masts are in process in TNS regions. In September 2024, BDUK had reported that 140 TNS planning applications had already been submitted. No direct explanation for the disparity between the earlier total and the latest update has been provided.
BDUK said that reaching initial SRN targets early meant it could “revise where publicly funded masts and coverage should be delivered” and concluded it should focus on areas where “people live, work, or travel, including walking and hiking routes”, following discussions with local communities and interest groups.
As such, the 44 towers in process will cover areas including Glencoe, Loch Lomond, Trossachs National Park, and Wester Ross, as well as several islands, such as the Isle of Mull, Skye, and South Uist.
BDUK said while it will deliver ”fewer new masts” in rural Scotland through the adjusted plans, the changes will ensure 4G coverage is “maximised” while delivering the “best value for public money”.
It did not provide a delivery timeframe for the masts, nor did it provide an update on funding for the TNS sites.
When launched, the SRN scheme saw partners commit more than £1bn to 4G rollout, with the four MNOs providing £532m collectively to address partial not-spots — enabling the 95% landmass target to be reached early. The government had set aside £501m for the TNS portion of the programme, at a time when it expected to be funding a substantially greater number of sites.
