10 Aug 2026
New figures from Defra show that while digital connectivity continues to improve, gaps remain between rural and urban areas, particularly for gigabit broadband and 5G mobile coverage.
The latest Statistical Digest of Rural England: Connectivity and Accessibility, updated in July, uses data from January 2026 to examine broadband and mobile coverage across England.
The figures highlight some of the challenges facing the most rural communities:
- 54% – Gigabit-capable broadband in remote rural settlements
In January 2026, 54% of premises in remote rural settlements had access to a gigabit-capable broadband service, compared with 74% in rural settlements nearer to a major town or city. - Around 1 in 7 – 5G not-spots in majority rural constituencies
In January 2026, just over 15% of premises in majority rural constituencies were not covered by 5G mobile signals when outdoors – around 1 in every 7 premises. This compared with just under 1% in urban constituencies outside London. - 6% vs 46% – 5G coverage from all four operators
In January 2026, just over 6% of premises in majority rural constituencies had 5G mobile coverage from all four operators when outdoors, compared with 46% in urban constituencies outside London.
Defra’s figures show that broadband availability has improved over time. In smaller rural settlements, access to superfast broadband increased from 77% of premises in January 2020 to 89% in January 2026.
However, the latest data continues to show a clear relationship between rurality and access to faster digital connectivity, with the most rural communities experiencing some of the lowest levels of coverage.
The findings reinforce the case made through the Rural Services Network’s call for continued investment in rural digital infrastructure, including support for very hard-to-reach premises, improved mobile connectivity and better use of rural and urban data to identify disparities in coverage. These are central to RSN’s calls for improved rural connectivity through Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.
RSN’s Rural Realities research has also highlighted what inadequate connectivity can mean in practice. Rural residents described inconsistent internet affecting their ability to work, uneven mobile coverage, limited access to 5G and increasing reliance on digital connectivity as physical services decline. Affordability and the risk of digital exclusion were also raised.
Together, the latest Defra statistics and the experiences shared through Rural Realities underline why reliable digital and mobile connectivity remains an important part of ensuring rural communities can access services, support local economies and participate fully in an increasingly digital society.
