Thousands of remote workers across England, Scotland and Wales will soon be using the EE network for their phones and connected devices.
BT has signed a five-year agreement with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to provide 34,000 mobile connections via the EE network. While the exact value of the deal has not been disclosed, it is described as a “multi-million-pound” contract.
The deal supports a wide range of DEFRA group activities, including monitoring flood risks, tracking water quality, and detecting disease outbreaks in agriculture. It covers multiple organisations within the DEFRA family, such as the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and the Rural Payments Agency.
Mobile coverage will be delivered via EE’s existing 4G network, bolstered by capacity enhancements made through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) — a government-backed initiative aimed at improving connectivity in hard-to-reach areas.
BT will also deliver access to digital tools that support DEFRA’s environmental and operational goals. These include eSIM capabilities and a carbon dashboard to monitor energy consumption and emissions associated with IT infrastructure.
The initiative is intended to improve both connectivity and safety for DEFRA’s field-based and lone workers, while ensuring more efficient data sharing between remote teams and central systems.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is a UK government department responsible for safeguarding the natural environment, supporting food and farming industries, and promoting rural communities.
Its work includes tackling climate change, protecting biodiversity, managing water resources, and overseeing animal and plant health. Through its various agencies, DEFRA develops policies and oversees programmes aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability and public well-being across the UK.
