Mobile UK noted that the recent Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the Autumn Budget represented missed opportunities to directly address mobile infrastructure investment
In sum – what you need to know:
Mobile UK calls for urgent mobile infrastructure focus – A new report commissioned by Mobile UK urges the Government to prioritise mobile networks in the upcoming Infrastructure Strategy.
Policy reform seen as key to 5G rollout – The industry is calling for planning rule changes, full implementation of the PSTI Act, business rates relief and use of license fees to enhance mobile coverage and capacity.
Mobile seen as essential to U.K.’s economic future – Mobile UK says boosting mobile investment is vital to achieving the Government’s growth and innovation goals and ensuring the country’s global competitiveness.
Mobile UK, the body representing the country’s four mobile network operators, is urging policymakers to take swift action to boost investment in this essential sector, which it says is vital for supporting the U.K.’s economic growth and global competitiveness.
A new report titled “Mobile Infrastructure Investment: The UK’s Route to Growth”, commissioned by Mobile UK and carried out by Assembly Research, highlights the strong economic benefits that come with a well-developed mobile network. According to the study, every £1 spent on mobile infrastructure can return £5 to the wider economy. The report also includes several key recommendations for how the Government can unlock this value.
While the U.K. Government efforts have successfully encouraged private investment in fixed broadband, Mobile UK argues that mobile networks now require similar attention and support. The report points to several actions the Government can take to encourage more mobile investment, including:
-Using Annual License Fees (ALFs) to enhance coverage and network capacity
-Updating planning rules to make it easier to roll out mobile infrastructure
-Fully implementing the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act
-Offering business rates relief for new mobile sites
-Adjusting net neutrality rules to support network efficiency
-Supporting plans to phase out 2G services
-Addressing coverage gaps through the Shared Rural Network program
Mobile UK noted that the recent Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the Autumn Budget represented missed opportunities to directly address mobile infrastructure investment. Looking ahead, the upcoming Spending Review and Infrastructure Strategy present crucial opportunities for the Government to signal its commitment to mobile by strongly focusing on this essential sector.
Hamish MacLeod, CEO of Mobile UK, said: “The Government has rightly identified growth as its top priority and called on the U.K.’s telecoms industry to help strengthen the economy. Now, it’s crucial for the Government to prioritize mobile infrastructure, enabling operators to accelerate investment in coverage and capacity. This will be fundamental to underpinning growth and fostering innovation throughout the U.K. economy, and the upcoming Spending Review and Infrastructure Strategy are key moments to demonstrate this commitment.”
The U.K. has the potential to be a world leader in 5G and next-generation mobile networks — but this ambition is under threat. According to a previous article by Gareth Elliott, director of Policy and Communications at Mobile UK, outdated regulation, poor planning systems and an unsupportive fiscal environment are stifling progress.
“This is not a time for caution; this is a moment for bold ambition,” Elliott said, stressing that decisive action is needed to ensure the U.K. doesn’t fall behind other nations in the race to build future-ready digital infrastructure.
Elliott highlighted how essential mobile connectivity is to powering services like AI, which the Government sees as central to the U.K.’s economic future. But delays and uncertainty in the planning system are holding back 5G rollout. “It’s akin to building a high-speed digital highway on a pothole riddled road,” he said.
He also called for investment in a more efficient planning process and for a supportive tax regime: “We are not asking for handouts, but for a level playing field. Rather than taxing our industry, we propose enabling reinvestment of those funds into enhancing our networks, fostering growth and global competitiveness. This approach supports, rather than strangles, our industry. Furthermore, the current business rates regime penalizes investment in vital mobile infrastructure. It’s like taxing firefighters for putting out a fire. Urgent relief is needed to incentivize deployment, particularly in underserved areas.”
