To provide 4G coverage to areas where people do not have it today – typically in more rural areas – new mobile masts will have to be built. Under the SRN, new masts will be shared between multiple network operators, reducing the number of new masts required overall, and minimising the impact on the landscape. Operators will also be upgrading sites to deliver more coverage from their existing network. To achieve the same coverage targets without sharing infrastructure would require a far greater number of masts to be built.
All new mast developments will follow local planning processes.
