New data from digital infrastructure specialist Cluttons has revealed that only around one in three MPs are confident that the government will hit its 2030 digital connectivity targets. The Government has identified digital infrastructure as essential for economic growth and productivity. However, separate data shows that when it comes to mobile download speeds, the UK slipped from 51st to 53rd in the world in 2024.

This comes as BT recently said that accelerating the roll out of 5G would unlock £230 billion worth of growth by 2035, with the FTSE 100 company saying that a particularly complex and underfunded planning process is making the UK an exceptionally difficult place to rollout standalone 5G.

Cluttons’ survey of MPs, conducted with YouGov, showed 89 per cent of MPs believed good digital connectivity (fast reliable mobile and broadband connections) was important for boosting economic growth, and 71 per cent said having a more supportive planning system was important to deliver the infrastructure needed to provide good connectivity.

Some 44 per cent of MPs said that constituents often raised connectivity issues with them.

MPs’ views about the UK’s standalone 5G rollout are revealed in new research by Cluttons. Its survey of 108 MPs highlights how slow progress could hinder business growth and prevent consumers in some areas from using emerging digital and AI services.

Cluttons’ report, Connecting today for tomorrow: Are we there yet?, shows that only 34 per cent of the 108 MPs surveyed believe the UK will achieve the target of delivering standalone 5G to all populated areas. Meanwhile, 28 per cent of MPs are not confident that the government will achieve its goal 99 per cent of premises having access to gigabit-capable broadband by 2030, the target deadline when the survey was distributed.

Even though confidence levels are low, they have risen since Cluttons’ 2024 survey, particularly among Labour MPs, following a general election and a period of renewed focus on infrastructure.

The report also reveals that policymakers and the public may need more information to fully understand the link between digital connectivity and the physical infrastructure required to support it. According to the YouGov survey:

• Around 60 per cent of MPs believe that businesses understand the relationship between connectivity and infrastructure, such as masts and cables.
• Only 46 per cent said policymakers understood this link.
• Just 33 per cent believed that residents were clear on this connection.

This disconnect between how the public and elected officials understand the importance of digital connectivity is seen as a serious obstacle to progress. Without wider public understanding and support, the infrastructure roll-out risks delays, cost increases and local opposition. All of these factors threaten to slow down a project that is vital to the UK’s competitiveness and future needs, especially with the growth of generative AI and the data needs associated with this.

Off the back of the results, Cluttons is calling for a national information campaign to raise public understanding of the relationship between connectivity and infrastructure.

Alongside a public information campaign, the report makes other key recommendations to accelerate delivery:

• Accelerated planning reform to streamline approvals and enable faster rollout of digital infrastructure.
• Appointment of Digital Placemakers in local authorities, with central government funding, to strategically coordinate local rollouts, liaise with industry and navigate planning hurdles.

Gráinne Gilmore, Head of Research, Cluttons, said: “The UK’s appetite for, and use of, data is soaring, with mobile traffic in the UK up 260 per cent since 2019, and yet our ability to provide the infrastructure to support this growth remains challenging in too many areas. If we want to achieve our national connectivity goals, we need a joined-up approach that tackles the practical barriers to delivery. That starts with a national information campaign to help people understand how infrastructure like masts and cables underpins the connectivity they rely on every day. ”

The report states:

• Monthly mobile data usage in the UK rose from 292 petabytes (PB) in 2019 to 1,069 PB in 2024, an increase of more than 260 per cent, according to Ofcom Connected Nations Report.
• Mobile data traffic is expected to quadruple in the UK by 2030, according to GSMA.
• The UK now ranks 44th globally for broadband download speeds (59.1 Mbps) and 53rd for mobile (94.5 Mbps), according to Ookla, ISPreview.

Earlier in 2025, the Government revised its target for gigabit broadband coverage, pushing the deadline from 2030 to 2032. This delay, confirmed in both the June Spending Review and the Infrastructure Strategy, reflects the challenge of reaching the final 15 per cent of premises. That is over 3 million homes, many in hard-to-reach areas. While Government initiatives such as Project Gigabit and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) aim to close this gap, Cluttons warns that time is short.

Darren Zitren, Head of digital connectivity, Cluttons, said: “Connectivity isn’t just a nice-to-have. It is fundamental to business, government and society. Our research shows that MPs understand this, but that understanding must now be matched with clear delivery. There is still time to get back on track, but it requires joined-up action now.”

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