DUBLIN, Ireland—Mobile operators in Northern Ireland could face frustration in their efforts to develop higher speed services or even improve coverage if rumored changes to planning legislation are passed.
Phone masts have been a source of public discontent in the past, with some protestors making physical as well as verbal protests at controversial sites. But the fact that under existing legislation operators are able to erect transmitter sites without full planning permission has enabled the leading U.K. mobile-phone companies to develop their networks without much disruption.
Now public pressure from community groups concerned about the possible health implications of living close to these masts is beginning to impact local governments. The Northern Ireland Executive is rumored to be ready to change the planning regulations to make full permission a prerequisite to the development of new sites. The motivation behind the proposed change is providing district councils—and the communities they serve—with more input into the development of phone masts.
But the industry has warned that thousands of jobs could be threatened if tighter conditions are imposed. The Federation of the Electronics Industry, which represents the operators, said changes to mast development criteria will impact the introduction of third-generation (3G) services and that the legislators would be better served by engaging in dialog with the network operators.
