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5G Connectivity Telford and West Midlands 2026-01-20
20 January 2026
Lead MP
Shaun Davies
Debate Type
Adjournment Debate
Tags
Economy
Other Contributors: 5
At a Glance
Shaun Davies raised concerns about 5g connectivity telford and west midlands 2026-01-20 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
It is good to see the Minister in his place. He is a man with great knowledge of, and passion for, this agenda, and I know he will take it forward in Telford, west midlands and further afield. Despite our beautiful nature and green spaces, Telford is no village; it is a town with over 185,000 people and predicted to reach 200,000 by 2032. Our borough has very patchy 5G connections and poor 4G reception in many areas. Constituents report that they have no 5G connection whatsoever. The council’s research found a significant difference between Ofcom's estimates and real-world experience. My constituents care more about improving coverage itself, but we need better reporting of 5G coverage. In this day and age, connectivity is not just about economic growth but also access to emergency services. I recently met officials who informed me about Ofcom’s reporting tool, but the expectation cannot simply be on residents to report problems when network providers are making millions in profit. I am asking for an opportunity for us to contribute and improve 5G infrastructure.
Helen Morgan
LD
North Shropshire
Mobile network operators do not have minimum standards of coverage and quality, leading to poor signal in some areas. We need a way to ensure they provide good quality signals.
Warinder Juss
Lab
Wolverhampton West
Tettenhall in my constituency faces similar problems with little or no mobile phone connectivity, highlighting the issue is not just about rural areas but densely populated ones as well.
John Slinger
Lab
Rugby
Mobile companies have made grand promises about services like video calling in the past but failed to match expectations. While improvements are being made, we must implore them to match reality with their service provision.
I did not declare my interest as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on digital communities, which I should have done.
Madam Deputy Speaker
Ms Nusrat Ghani
The Minister is also more than welcome to come to my constituency of Sussex Weald to deal with any 5G connectivity questions.
Government Response
Economy
Government Response
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his speech raising important issues about connectivity in Telford and across the west midlands. I acknowledge the challenges faced by constituents with poor 5G coverage despite being in a region recognised for its best 5G infrastructure. The Government is committed to improving digital connectivity, including through project gigabit. We have provided funding of £1.2 billion towards better broadband and mobile networks. We are working closely with Ofcom and network providers to ensure accurate data reporting and address gaps in coverage. I encourage residents to use the new mapping tool for feedback on poor signal areas. As requested by the hon. Gentleman, my officials will visit Telford to assess the situation firsthand and convene relevant providers. We aim to provide world-class digital services to all communities. First and foremost, I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Telford (Shaun Davies) for securing this Adjournment debate. Mobile coverage is an extremely important topic... The Government have an ambition for all populated areas to have access to higher-quality stand-alone 5G by 2030. That of course includes Telford and areas right across the west midlands... I understand my hon. Friend’s concerns about flooding in his local area. There are potential safety risks arising when flooding is combined with a lack of mobile signal, and I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important issue... To help operators achieve their ambitious roll-out plans, we continue to work closely with them to identify and remove barriers to deployment where it is practical to do so... Finally, I would like to repeat my thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Telford for securing this debate on such an important topic.
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