Taller and Wider Masts for Rural Areas

Taller and wider mobile phone masts to be built in rural areas to speed up the 5G network rollout.

18:15 22 April 2021

Taller and wider mobile phone masts will be built in rural areas across the United Kingdom as part of the Government plans to ensure that 5G network is rollout as quickly as possible. 

 

Currently, masts on public lands are limited to 20metres but under the Government plans, new ones can be up to 30metres. However, mobile firms will still require permission from local councils before they can build new masts. But they will receive incentives from the government if they focus on improving existing masts rather than building new ones. 

 

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “We want to level up the country and end the plague of patchy and poor mobile signals in rural communities,”

 

“These practical changes strike a careful balance between removing unnecessary barriers holding back better coverage, while making sure we protect our precious landscape.”

Reacting to the news, CCS Insight analyst Kester Mann said that taller masts in rural areas would address a "worrying digital divide" in various communities across the UK. 

 

"Dated planning laws have hindered mobile network deployment for years," he added. "Taller masts enable signals to travel further, providing coverage to residents and visitors over a wider area.

 

"But it is vital to strike the right balance between improving connectivity and preserving the beauty of the countryside."