The mobile industry is working together as part of an initiative led by the Department of Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS).  The initiative commenced with a number of workshops bringing together site providers and telecoms organisations to discuss the challenges faced by the industry in providing and maintaining connectivity across the UK.

The workshops have led to a consensus that a new Telecoms Communications Framework is required to promote best practice across the industry.  The Framework will work in conjunction with the OfCom Code of Practice and will provide guidelines on how Operators, site owners, and the wider telecoms community should communicate with each other.  Improved communication between all parties, whether in relation to the search for a new site location or maintaining existing sites, will ensure better connectivity can be rolled out across the country more quickly and efficiently, and in turn support the Government’s digital ambitions.

Why is this framework important?

‍Mobile technologies and services are evolving and are now considered an essential resource. The Operators and infrastructure providers aspire to fulfil this public demand. But this is only possible by working together with site providers in finding new sites or maintaining existing sites to host mobile infrastructure. Using this Communications Framework, we set the right expectations and practice the right behaviours to make the agreement process as smooth as possible. It is in everyone’s interest to use this when engaging in site agreements to ultimately play a responsible part in enabling the public to gain better access to digital services.

The framework will be published in due course.