Questions About 5G London Rollout

London boroughs do not have a specific strategy for the rollout of 5G network in their jurisdiction, report claims.

12:32 09 January 2020

Data obtained via Freedom of Information (FoI) requests reveals that every borough in London currently does not have a specific strategy for the rollout of 5G network in their jurisdiction. Although the rollout of 5G is the responsibility of major operators, local authorities play a critical role in areas such as planning permission and access to council-owned street furniture.

 

 

 

Tech London Advocates founder Russ Shaw has called for a more coherent approach to regulation: “As these results show, London is far from ready for widespread connectivity. The capital’s multi-borough system poses a unique set of challenges to network operators working towards a cohesive rollout compared with other cities. It requires co-ordination of different budgets, timelines and deals between a complex blend of stakeholders, including the challenge for [mobile operators] of working across 35 planning authorities and 34 highways authorities.

 

 

 

“The Greater London Authority must align all the boroughs under the same policy, proactively encouraging investment from network operators and fostering collaboration between them, businesses and landowners. Otherwise, London risks being one of the worst cities in the UK for 5G coverage – an unacceptable scenario when the capital’s global future is already under question.”