1. Planning
2. Specialist guides
3. Mobile phone masts
4. Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many base station sites are there?

A: At present, there are about 52,000 in the UK. Two-thirds of these are on existing structures and buildings.

Q: Why do we need more base stations?

A: Each base station can only carry a limited number of calls or data at any one time. In order to satisfy increasing customer demand for mobile services, increased data, or to improve call quality, additional base stations are required in busy areas.

Q: What forms of sharing can take place?

A: There are three main ways in which a mobile phone operator can share a site:

1. Mast sharing is when two or more mobile phone operators put their base station antenna on the same ground based mast or tower.
2. Site sharing is when two or more operators locate their own ground based masts on the same land, or in the same vicinity.
3. Co-location is when two or more operators place their antenna on the same building or structure, which is not a ground based mast.

At present around two thirds of radio base stations in the UK are either shared or placed on existing buildings or structures.

Q: Will 3G mean more masts?

A: Yes. The cell sizes for 3G networks are smaller than for 2G. Therefore, more base stations are required to cover the same area. In line with planning guidance, wherever possible, operators seek to upgrade their existing base stations or share sites used by other operators.