More street lights to be home to 5G antennas as part of UK Government scheme

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Cutting out calls and endlessly buffering TikTok videos could be a thing of the past as more next generation phone masts are set to be bolted on to streetlights in Scotland as part of a scheme to boost connectivity.The smaller wavelength of 5G phone signals means they can carry much more data.But more antennas are needed across towns and cities to ensure seamless coverage.

Telecoms providers often find it hard and time consuming to check whether CCTV poles, road signs and the like are suitable for network equipment.Now, as part of a UK Government pilot scheme, network providers will have easier access to public buildings, traffic lights, and signs.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport says this will help cut red tape and allow engineers to install more 4G and 5G kit.Julia Lopez, Westminster's digital infrastructure minister, said the pilots will modernise how local authorities and operators work together to deliver “faster, more reliable mobile coverage for millions of people”.“Everyone gets frustrated when their mobile signal is poor, particularly when patchy coverage holds up important work and social calls and makes it harder to do stuff online,” the MP said.“That is why we are determined to get the UK the connectivity it needs by rolling out better mobile coverage as quickly as possible.”In Scotland people in Angus, Dundee, Fife, Perth and Kinross will benefit from the pilot.

South of the border, those in Tyneside, Sunderland, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Somerset, Dorset, among others, will see a signal boost from the scheme.As part of the pilot, eight winning projects will receive a share of the £4 million Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator.