Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP) 1 MIP - Overview A publicly - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP)

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MIP - Overview

 A publicly funded project to provide mobile phone coverage by all four Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in areas that have none at present  ‘Not spots’: Areas with no effective coverage by any of the mobile network

• perators, usually because it is uneconomic to do so

 An opportunity to be grasped - tackling market failure to provide mobile coverage to less populated areas  State Aid funding means MIP cannot consider areas where there is coverage from at least one (UK) operator, but not from others  State Aid funding is for improvements to “voice coverage and basic data”, but all sites will have the connectivity to manage upgraded services  Operational & technical challenges – especially connecting the new sites into the MNOs’ networks

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Those involved:

 The Department of Culture Media and Sport (Broadband Delivery UK) is meeting the capital cost of the project  Arqiva has been contracted to deliver the project  Harlequin are Arqiva’s acquisition agents  The four Mobile Network Operators:

• Have all agreed to provide a service from all MIP sites for 20

years

• Have agreed to meet all the operating costs of doing so

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The Challenge:

Access for build and operation Economic power supply (i.e. Nearby) Economic site rental

Planning permission

• All on the same site!

Economic construction cost

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Transmission

 Line of sight needed for connecting the site into the MNOs’ networks  Every site needs TWO transmission links

• One for O2 & Vodafone
• One for EE and 3

 The far ends of the links need capacity to carry the services back into the MNOs’ core networks Capacity for

• nward transmission

MIP site

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A Typical MIP Installation – 20 metres

(North Molton Devon)

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In the wider context

(North Molton Devon)

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In the wider context

(North Molton Devon)

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Proposed installation of a 25m high telecommunications base station at Hensley Farm, East Worlington, Crediton, Devon EX17 4TG

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Search Area- West/ East Worlington

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Discounted options

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Proposed Site- Hensley Farm, East Worlington

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Predicted Coverage Levels

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Site Plan

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Elevation Plan

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Local Communications so far:

The proposal is currently undergoing pre application consultation. Consultations have taken place with:  North Devon Council: ‘The combination of a 25 metre mast and the local topography mean that the proposal would be visible across a wide area , from hillslopes and valleys, generally as a break in the skyline.’ ‘The National; Planning Policy Framework does recognise the need to support a high quality communications infrastructure but qualifies this at paragraph 43 with the statement that 'Where new sites are required, equipment should be sympathetically designed and camouflaged where appropriate. I think we would need to see more evidence that this has been incorporated into the scheme.’ ‘Any planning decision would need to be a matter of balance, with the opposing elements

• f visual harm and public benefit.’

‘…it may be appropriate to present some representative photomontages of the development, if not a landscape and visual impact assessment.’  Councillor Mrs Sue Croft: To date, no comments received.

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Local Communications so far:

 Parish Council: To date, no comments received.  Local resident comments:

• Impact on the landscape, neighbouring dwellings, listed buildings and East and

West Worlington villages

• Physical appearance/ design of the mast
• Lack of screening
• Health risks
• Inaccessible location
• Important for ‘farm emergencies’
• Village Plan has called for improved mobile communications however a balance

needs to be found

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Radio Safety

RADIO (80 years) RADIATOR Infrared

 Town planning and Radio safety regulation are separate - “Non-duplication of controls”  Mobile phones save lives. 2/3 of all calls to the emergency services are made on mobiles (Ofcom)  Mobile phone base stations produce nothing other than radio waves at frequencies/wavelengths similar to TV, at low power (a few tens of watts)  Radio waves have been common in our environment since the 1920s. Arqiva has been transmitting radio (through its ownership & operation of the BBC transmission service) through all that time  All mobile phone base stations must comply with the ‘ICNIRP’ Public guidelines in all publicly accessible areas  ICNIRP Certificates must be provided with planning applications  ICNIRP is based on decades of peer reviewed and published research. It is continuously under review  ICNIRP is accepted by UK & ROI Governments as the appropriate safeguard to public health  ICNIRP is accepted by the World Health Organisation and the EC  ICNIRP incorporates significant precautionary factors  Mobile base stations typically comply with ICNIRP by very large margins:

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RA survey – highest of 100 schools

35m Highest reading by OFCOM in 724 surveys, 2001 to 2013 = 1/279th ICNIRP public

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/sitefinder/mobile-base-station-audits/

Folkestone School for Girls

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The electromagnetic spectrum:

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Thank you. Questions?

mip.stakeholders@arqiva.com