Full 5G rural coverage does not need towering new masts, says expert

RURAL areas can obtain reliable access to 5G services without the need for 165ft masts, says a telecoms expert.

Prof Maziar Nekovee of the University of Sussex and former head of 5G research at Samsung’s UK division, claimed the technical advantages of next-generation mobile networks mean huge masts should not be needed. Phone masts cannot be taller than 82ft (25m), or 66ft (20m) in certain protected areas. Under new plans, up to 400,000 masts twice the size of existing ones could spring up to bring greater internet connectivity and faster download speeds for consumers.

The Government is preparing to remove planning restrictions and allow taller masts. Digital Secretary Nicky Morgan indicated that proposals were intended to help internet blind spots. She said supporting the rollout of 5G mobile networks could bolster the economy by providing far faster internet speeds for billions of devices.

But according to Prof Nekovee, tall masts are not the solution to the challenge of improving broadband access: “It is very much technically feasible to have widespread 5G coverage to rural and urban customers without the need for a whole new infrastructure of towers that would intimidate even the Statue of Liberty.”

He claimed that 5G has up to 10 times more bandwidth than 4G, which can “easily compensate” for reductions in signal strength for locations that are not in the direct line of sight of a standard-sized tower, and “would still offer better coverage than 4G”.

Although the academic said that taller masts could help get around barriers such as “foliage, clutter and buildings”, he believes the Government should limit where taller towers can be located.

“It would be sensible for the Government to give operators the discretion to choose some sites for taller masts if they can show it will be able to deliver optimal rural coverage,” Prof Nekovee added.