"Chair of the committee Dame Chi Onwurah started by asking about cellular coverage, noting that the government's aim in its Proposed Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP) is to have high-quality standalone 5G in all populated areas of the UK by 2030. She asked what that meant. Sadly, Baroness Lloyd struggled to articulate what "high-quality standalone 5G" means. She offered that "standalone 5G, which is sometimes called 5G-plus, is the next capability on from 5G. It allows much better data transfer.""
"When the chair inquired what "high-quality" means, Baroness Lloyd answered that it means the same thing as standalone 5G, leading to some confusion. "High-quality means standalone?" asked Dame Onwurah, to which the answer was "yes." "'In the statement 'high-quality standalone 5G,' 'high-quality' and 'standalone' mean the same thing?" Dame Onwurah pressed. "I am sorry. I cannot define 'high-quality' other than in that way." Baroness Lloyd responded."
A parliamentary evidence session examined the UK government's plans for telecoms, broadband, and digital inclusion, focusing on a 2030 aim for high-quality standalone 5G in all populated areas. Ministers and officials repeatedly failed to define key terms such as "high-quality standalone 5G" and what counts as "populated areas," with the minister equating "high-quality" to "standalone" and officials unable to supply exact definitions. The inability to provide measurable targets or clear geographic definitions undermines accountability for rollout commitments and raises concerns about meeting digital inclusion goals and international comparators.
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