Supporting the Future of Digital Infrastructure Policy with the Mobile Infrastructure Forum (MIF)

Cornerstone’s Public Affairs Lead, Jesam Eyong, has recently been appointed Chair of the Public Affairs Working Group within the Mobile Infrastructure Forum (MIF). The group brings together industry stakeholders to discuss policy issues affecting the rollout and evolution of the UK’s mobile infrastructure. 

Here we speakke to Jesam about the policy landscape, the direction of the industry, and the wider forces shaping the future of connectivity. 

What role does the Mobile Infrastructure Forum’s Public Affairs Working Group play in the industry? 

To answer that, it is worth briefly recapping how the Forum is structured. MIF brings together the four “TowerCos” that install the vast majority of the UK’s passive mobile infrastructure — the physical towers and structures on which the mobile network operators install antennae, providing mobile coverage to the public. 

MIF’s Executive Group, led by the current Chair of the wider Forum, Jon Freeman, and including the previous Chair, Cornerstone’s Belinda Fawcett, determines the major issues affecting the ability of all four participants to deploy the networks the UK needs. The Executive Group communicates the importance of tackling those issues to government ministers and senior officials at a strategic level. 

By contrast, the Public Affairs Working Group focuses on building relationships with officials designing the policy that affects the industry day to day. In practice, this means providing evidence and insight, guided by subject matter experts within the Forum, articulating challenges in detail, and engaging in constructive dialogue with government and regulators on how policy can support longterm network investment and deployment. 

All four members of the Public Affairs Working Group work collaboratively, bringing different skill sets and perspectives to discussions with policymakers — a key factor in the group’s effectiveness. 

Planning reform and updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) are currently being discussed. What matters most for digital infrastructure? 

Both are crucial. Planning policy has a significant impact on how quickly networks can evolve to meet growing demand. As the UK plans for new homes, new towns and economic growth, digital connectivity must be treated as essential infrastructure alongside transport, power and water. 

Within MIF, planning specialists highlight the difficulty local planning authorities face in balancing competing priorities, often with very limited time and resources. This reflects experience gained during time in government. Clearer national guidance and expanded permitted development rights for certain types of mobile infrastructure would help planners reach more consistent decisions earlier in the process. 

These changes would also free up capacity for planners to assess largerscale developments and engage in more strategic, collaborative discussions with the telecoms industry where compromise is required. 

Evidence shows that improving existing infrastructure is more straightforward where these discussions take place, but they tend to occur mainly in betterresourced councils able to allocate specialist planning expertise. While those councils are to be commended, this is increasingly unrealistic for many local authorities. Ensuring nationwide access to the infrastructure required now and in the future makes reform and updated guidance essential. 

How is the role of digital infrastructure evolving as the digital economy grows? 

Connectivity has become fundamental to how society functions. Most transactions are now digital, and the logistics, healthcare systems and emergency services relied upon by the public all benefit from realtime communication. 

Digital connectivity is already playing a growing role in public service delivery. Examples include remote monitoring of damp and mould to support social housing management, and smart traffic monitoring systems that provide councils with data to design safer neighbourhoods. The large volumes of data enabled by these systems are increasingly being enhanced by emerging AI technologies. 

None of this is possible without highercapacity networks and digital infrastructure fit for a digital age — including nationwide 5G capability. As a result, digital infrastructure is increasingly recognised in the same terms as other forms of national infrastructure, underpinning economic activity and public services across the UK. 

The vast majority of this infrastructure will be delivered through private investment, improving outcomes for citizens without placing additional financial burden on taxpayers. 

What are the most important priorities for the industry in the coming years? 

Demand for data continues to grow and is unlikely to decline. Even if growth rates stabilise compared to the pandemic period, usage will continue to rise, accompanied by higher public expectations. As reliance on connectivity for work, leisure and livelihoods increases, tolerance for unreliable service decreases. 

Many businesses may struggle to compete without reliable, highquality connectivity.

The TowerCo industry is ready to adapt by building the infrastructure needed to meet these expectations, provided the legislative and policy environment enables deployment. 

There is also increasing focus on how infrastructure can evolve to support sectors where connectivity failure would have severe consequences. 

Ultimately, the objective is clear: ensuring the infrastructure underpinning the UK’s digital economy continues to evolve in step with how people live, work and engage with technology. 

This article was originally published by Cornerstone here - https://www.cornerstone.network/supporting-the-future-of-digital-infrastructure-policy/