Latest news with #BenRoome
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Concerns for Cairngorms eagles over 4G mast plan
Park planners have recommended rejecting a proposal for a 15m (49ft) telecommunications mast proposed for an area that supports breeding golden eagles. EE wants to construct the steel structure in Glen Avon as part of a UK-wide project tackling "not spots" - areas with poor or no mobile phone coverage. Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) officers said the communications company had not considered potential impacts on eagles. Developer Mova, which is owned by EE, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, said local feedback guided the locating of masts. Objections to 4G masts in Highland wild land 'First' mobile coverage for parts of Western Isles Two micro wind turbines and a solar array to provide power to the mast have also been proposed for the site near the summit of Gael Charn, about five miles (8km) from Tomintoul. In a report to CNPA's planning committee, officials said the location was within the Cairngorms Massif Special Protection Area. The area's importance to golden eagles forms part of the designation. Golden eagles are a large bird of prey with a wingspan of more than two metres (6.5ft). They were once found widely across the UK but years of persecution has reduced their range to upland areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to the RSPB. CNPA officials said the mast should be denied planning permission due to concerns about potential "adverse impacts" on biodiversity. The mast would form part of the £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN), which was set up to tackle not spots. SRN is a joint initiative between mobile network operators and the UK government to extend 4G connectivity to 95% of the UK's landmass by the end of 2025. The project's aim is to improve connectivity for residents, businesses and tourists. It has brought mobile phone coverage to parts of the Western Isles for the first time, but a number of sites in parts of Scotland have faced opposition. Mova chief executive Ben Roome said: "The mobile network operators and government rely on feedback from local communities and stakeholder groups to maximise the benefits of new sites, helping to ensure best value for public money. "Planning committees are a key part of this process to decide if new infrastructure should be permitted." CNPA
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Concerns for Cairngorms eagles over 4G mast plan
Park planners have recommended rejecting a proposal for a 15m (49ft) telecommunications mast proposed for an area that supports breeding golden wants to construct the steel structure in Glen Avon as part of a UK-wide project tackling "not spots" - areas with poor or no mobile phone coverage. Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) officers said the communications company had not considered potential impacts on Mova, which is owned by EE, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, said local feedback guided the locating of masts. Two micro wind turbines and a solar array to provide power to the mast have also been proposed for the site near the summit of Gael Charn, about five miles (8km) from a report to CNPA's planning committee, officials said the location was within the Cairngorms Massif Special Protection area's importance to golden eagles forms part of the eagles are a large bird of prey with a wingspan of more than two metres (6.5ft).They were once found widely across the UK but years of persecution has reduced their range to upland areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to the RSPB. CNPA officials said the mast should be denied planning permission due to concerns about potential "adverse impacts" on mast would form part of the £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN), which was set up to tackle not is a joint initiative between mobile network operators and the UK government to extend 4G connectivity to 95% of the UK's landmass by the end of project's aim is to improve connectivity for residents, businesses and has brought mobile phone coverage to parts of the Western Isles for the first time, but a number of sites in parts of Scotland have faced chief executive Ben Roome said: "The mobile network operators and government rely on feedback from local communities and stakeholder groups to maximise the benefits of new sites, helping to ensure best value for public money. "Planning committees are a key part of this process to decide if new infrastructure should be permitted."
BBC News
30-01-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New mobile phone mast goes live on the North York Moors
A new phone mast has been switched on in the North York Moors National Park - an area notorious for bad mobile phone connectivity. The mast is being used by four different providers and means more people and businesses in areas including Helmsley and Harome will be able to access the 4G government-funded mast upgrades have now been activated as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN). It is situated about three miles north of Helmsley and it is claimed it will reduce the "digital divide" between urban and rural communities. Since the Shared Rural Network programme began in 2020, an additional 21,000 square miles (34,000km) have received coverage from all four operators, EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone. Fewer masts Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited - a joint venture of the UK mobile network operators - said four years ago only 41% of national parks had mobile coverage."Now, we're in the process of really lifting that up, with the North York Moors Authority really keen that all the premises on the North York Moors have mobile coverage, and the roads are covered," he Roome said good 4G coverage in an area of "not many other people" should give users an experience that is "as good - if not better" than 5G in busy city centre locations. He said there were objections to installing infrastructure in national parks but sharing sites meant fewer masts."It means less power, it means less disruption and better value for money from the public purse."When you're putting all the operators onto one site as well, you're impacting the environment less," he added. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
