Broadband: Infrastructure

(asked on 13th June 2025) - View Source

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps is Ofcom taking to ensure telecommunications providers adhere to the Electronic Communications Code on the visual impact of broadband infrastructure.


Answered by
Chris Bryant Portrait
Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This question was answered on 23rd June 2025

The Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 include a requirement for operators to minimise the impact on the visual amenity of properties as far as reasonably practicable when installing apparatus. It is Ofcom’s role as an independent regulator to investigate any complaints from local planning authorities about telegraph poles sited in a way which is not consistent with these requirements. Ofcom has in the past opened investigations into whether specific operators have failed to comply with their obligations when installing apparatus. These can be found on Ofcom’s enforcement page here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/enforcement.

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