BT has warned that outdated planning regulations and a lack of available spectrum are holding back Britain’s 5G ambitions—jeopardising an estimated £230 billion boost to the UK economy by 2035.
The telecoms giant is calling on the new government to accelerate reforms to the planning system and double the spectrum available to mobile networks, arguing that the current approach makes it harder to deploy mobile infrastructure in the UK than in almost any other developed nation.
In a strongly worded statement, BT said the rollout of next-generation “5G standalone” (5G SA) networks was being severely constrained by bureaucracy and under-resourced local planning authorities. It urged ministers to prioritise the “public interest” in better mobile coverage when considering planning applications, including raising the maximum permitted height of phone masts from 15 to 20 metres. According to BT, this single change could shave up to a year off the time it takes to deploy new infrastructure.
Howard Watson, BT’s chief security and networks officer, said: “The UK seems to have made it the hardest of anywhere to build mobile infrastructure. Unless we remove unnecessary roadblocks and make more spectrum available, we risk missing out on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to boost growth.”
The comments are backed by new research from Assembly, commissioned by BT, which estimates that fast-tracking 5G SA deployment could unlock £230 billion in economic value by 2035. Of that, £124 billion would come from increased capacity in the UK’s most densely populated areas, enabling businesses to adopt advanced technologies such as AI and robotics, and making the UK a more attractive place to invest.
Improvements to mobile coverage along the country’s railways and roads could also unlock new use cases such as autonomous vehicles and boost productivity for business travellers.
However, there is growing concern that the UK is falling behind. Figures from Frontier Economics suggest a funding shortfall of more than £20 billion between what the telecoms sector can currently invest and what is required to achieve full 5G SA coverage. Currently, only 42 per cent of the population has access to this more advanced version of 5G, which operates independently of 4G infrastructure and offers far better speed and reliability.
BT, whose mobile arm EE is one of the UK’s three major network providers, alongside VodafoneThree and Virgin Media O2, has also called for the government to open up new spectrum bands currently reserved for other uses. It wants ministers to set out a clear plan to double the amount of spectrum available for national mobile services.
Price pressures and fierce competition have left mobile network operators struggling to grow revenue, making large-scale infrastructure investment increasingly difficult.
The previous government had committed to delivering 5G SA to all populated areas by 2030. Speaking in response to BT’s warnings, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology reiterated its commitment to that goal:
“Access to fast and reliable mobile coverage is critical to economic growth. We are on a mission to deliver high-quality 5G standalone coverage to all populated areas by 2030. As set out in our infrastructure strategy, this includes removing planning barriers and ensuring the right policy and regulatory framework is in place to support investment and competition.”
With economic growth high on the new government’s agenda, the telecoms sector will be watching closely to see if action matches ambition—and whether the UK can truly deliver a digital infrastructure fit for the future.
