- UK has second highest energy costs and planning environments in 10-country study
- Britain also ranks 9th out of 10 in terms of overall network quality.
- VodafoneThree wants networks to be seen as critical national infrastructure
VodafoneThree has argued that the UK is falling behind the rest of Europe in its mobile infrastructure due to regulations, which make it difficult for companies like it to invest heavily in the right areas at the right time.
According to the report, the UK is facing pressure from all angles, including high energy costs for running mobile infrastructure, costly property and site costs, planning delays, restrictive policies and even competition from mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs).
More broadly, on a global scale, the UK is also falling behind countries such as Singapore, South Korea, the United States, Norway, Australia, Germany and Hungary.
VodafoneThree presents the regulatory landscape of the mobile network in the United Kingdom
Of the 10 specific countries studied in the company’s analysis, Vodafone Three revealed that the UK has the second highest energy cost and the second most onerous planning environment. The UK ranks ninth out of 10 countries for overall network quality.
“Bringing the UK’s investment environment up to par with our international peers could help support public services, close digital divides and enable communities to thrive,” wrote network director Andrea Dona.
The report warns that the UK could fall behind in terms of digital public services, national resilience and economic growth if the outlook does not improve, which is why it is working with the UK government “to examine the barriers holding back our mobile networks”.
One of the biggest changes that could impact the landscape is a shift to recognize that mobile network operators are providers of critical national infrastructure, so that they are protected against some cost fluctuations, such as energy costs.
“Fast, reliable and quality mobile networks are a fundamental driver of economic growth and prosperity,” concluded Dona.
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