Decision details

A Mobile Digital Twin is a bespoke tool that enables capture of mobile coverage information across all Operators using multiple sources. This tool will also create outline informed solutions for fixing areas of poor/no mobile coverage. OCC will own the licence for the tool and enable other local authorities to invest in access to it for a fee payable to OCC. The tool will be commissioned for development by a third party and contracted via GCloud. The OCC investment is capped at £500k with the procurement having a framework value of £3m allowing for other local authorities to invest in it via a formal agreement.

The Digital Connectivity Programme Manager introduced the report and responded to the Shadow Cabinet Member’s public address as follows.

The Programme Manager said that the Mobile Digital Twin would add to Ofcom’s existing map of the country; firstly, by detailing Oxfordshire assets that could be used to improve phone signal quality and, secondly, giving the Council better data about the challenges residents faced. He said that this data could, in turn, be used to put pressure on network operators to improve service delivery. He also made the following remarks:

1. The plan was around recording what could be done to improve outcomes for residents, for instance, by changing antennas’ orientation.
2. The plan involved algorithms that could provide some information around what indoor phone signal was like, although that was a challenge.
3. The £500,000 investment was enough to capture an evidence-based approach in Oxfordshire and, therefore, remove critical dependence on other authorities investing in similar projects. The Council would retained control via a termination for convenience clause in the contract.

The Programme Manager referred to the government’s plan to have 95 per cent 5G access countrywide in the next five years. He said that in his view, this was not going to be delivered; however, an Oxfordshire mobile digital twin would enable new, more realistic targets for Oxfordshire around improving 5G access for residents.

The Cabinet Member sought and received confirmation that the anonymity of residents would be maintained by M2 Capital Partners UK (Ltd) should he approve the recommendations.

The Shadow Cabinet Member (Oxfordshire Alliance Group) sought and received confirmation that the Mobile Digital Twin’s data would be made public, both around infrastructure and connection quality. The Programme Manager agreed with the Shadow Cabinet Member that this information should create commercial opportunities across the County.

The Cabinet Member asked if the Shadow Cabinet Member (Labour and Co-operative Party Group) had anything he wanted to say; he did not.

RESOLVED to

a)    approve a G-Cloud call off contract for a total contract value of up to £5m; and

b)    approve the Council’s contribution of £500k toward the total cost of the contract to go alongside contributions from other programme partners.