Join +750K new investors every month who copy stock picks from billionaire's portfoliosSign Up Free

UK set to allow taller phone masts to boost rural coverage

Published 20/04/2021, 00:48
© Reuters. Britain's Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden walks outside Downing Street, in London
NOKIA
-
ERICAs
-

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has proposed new rules to help eliminate gaps in rural mobile coverage, including allowing new and existing phone masts to be five metres taller and two metres wider than currently permitted.

It will also on Tuesday publish recommendations to boost the number of network equipment suppliers following last year's decision to ban China's Huawei from 5G networks.

The planning reforms will speed up the installation of masts while minimising the number required and making it easier to build slimline 'monopole' masts, it said.

Combined with the shared rural network announced by operators last year, the rules will help eliminate mobile blindspots, boosting the rural economy.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "These practical changes strike a careful balance between removing unnecessary barriers holding back better coverage, while making sure we protect our precious landscape." 

The proposals would in unprotected areas allow increases in mast heights up to 25 metres, from 20 metres previously.

But stricter rules would apply in protected areas, including national parks, conservation areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty and world heritage sites, it said.

There will be an eight-week consultation on the proposals, it said.

A separate report from the Telecom Diversification Taskforce to the published on Tuesday included recommendations such as setting out a timetable for the winding down of 2G and 3G networks to support new vendors, and setting up a fund to help develop Open Radio Access Network technology.

The measures are designed to support Britain's 250 million pound ($350 million) diversification strategy, that aims to reduce a dependence on Huawei's main rivals Ericsson (BS:ERICAs) and Nokia (HE:NOKIA).

© Reuters. Britain's Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden walks outside Downing Street, in London

($1 = 0.7149 pounds)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.