Proposed law is 'extremely weak': CLA attacks 'flawed' broadband bill

The Bill sets out provisions for a new legal right to superfast broadband for all home and business premises by 2020
The Bill sets out provisions for a new legal right to superfast broadband for all home and business premises by 2020

Mobile operators should be under a legal obligation to deliver universal mobile coverage for the whole of rural Britain, the Country Land and Business Association have said.

The call comes as MPs gather to debate the Digital Economy Bill in the House of Commons today.

The Bill sets out provisions for a new legal right to superfast broadband for all home and business premises by 2020.

It does not include a similar commitment to universal coverage for mobile across the whole of the UK.

The Bill does contain major legal concessions to mobile companies which will result in a £1 billion saving for the mobile industry.

Proposed law is 'extremely weak'

CLA President Ross Murray said mobile devices are a "vital part" of modern life.

"The access they provide to voice and data services can transform the opportunities for people who live and work across our countryside," Mr Murray said.

"That potential continues to be stifled because of poor and inconsistent coverage.

"The promise of this Bill is to improve coverage now and in the future, but it is flawed.

"Ministers have decided to give major multinational telecommunications companies the legal power to force farmers and other landowners to accommodate their equipment on their property without having to pay market rents.

"A decision that effectively grants mobile companies cost savings that amount to more than a billion pounds.

Mr Murray said the proposed law is "extremely weak" in terms of what it obliges the mobile industry to deliver.

He continued: "We are calling on MPs to enact obligations that guarantee that the benefits this law will provide to mobile operators will be fully transferred to consumers, especially those living, working and visiting our rural areas.

"A universal coverage target for mobile, complementary to the commitment for universal superfast broadband already contained in this Bill, is the best way to achieve this."