Think US carriers are bad? The UK's 5G could collapse – here's the real reason
Landowners are getting 80–90% less money from carriers and their equipment.
People often complain about poor 5G service, but in the US, carriers and regulators try to expand and enhance it. In contrast, in the UK, it looks like somebody is actively sabotaging 5G expansion.
And I'm not talking about another wave of arsonists, like in 2020.
A new research warns that the UK's plan to expand mobile networks is in trouble. A nationwide survey of over 500 landowners found that steep rent cuts and frequent legal pressure are driving many property owners to consider removing mobile network equipment from their land.
The result? Well, 5G rollout could be massively slowed down.
These landowners, known as site providers, include farmers, schools, charities, local councils, churches, and even NHS trusts. They host the physical infrastructure that makes mobile networks work, such as masts and antennas. Sometimes that's a standalone tower, other times the equipment is mounted on a building.
The problem began in 2017, when the UK government changed the rules under the Electronic Communications Code (ECC). Before, landlords could negotiate rent based on market rates. The ECC replaced that system with something similar to compulsory purchase pricing, where payments are based on the land's value for basic use rather than its value to the telecom operator.
Tensions have escalated further because 68% of landowners with expired leases say they have faced legal threats or pressure from telecom companies, often to accept lower rents or less favorable terms. This has resulted in more than 1,000 legal disputes so far. The government is now proposing to expand the ECC rules to another 15,000 sites across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, a move many landowners say will worsen the problem.
It's not hard to see how this could seriously damage the UK's 5G rollout. Unlike older mobile networks, 5G needs a lot more masts placed closer together. Many of these masts are on private property, but only 23% of the people surveyed said they are very likely to renew their agreements. Nearly half are still unsure, which means the country could lose important sites. Without them, many areas could end up with "mobile blackspots", where phone signal is weak or even completely missing.
By the way, network analytics company Ookla findings show the UK ranks 24th out of 30 Northern European countries for 5G availability, with just 45% coverage.
And I'm not talking about another wave of arsonists, like in 2020.
A new research warns that the UK's plan to expand mobile networks is in trouble. A nationwide survey of over 500 landowners found that steep rent cuts and frequent legal pressure are driving many property owners to consider removing mobile network equipment from their land.
These landowners, known as site providers, include farmers, schools, charities, local councils, churches, and even NHS trusts. They host the physical infrastructure that makes mobile networks work, such as masts and antennas. Sometimes that's a standalone tower, other times the equipment is mounted on a building.
The problem began in 2017, when the UK government changed the rules under the Electronic Communications Code (ECC). Before, landlords could negotiate rent based on market rates. The ECC replaced that system with something similar to compulsory purchase pricing, where payments are based on the land's value for basic use rather than its value to the telecom operator.
This led to sharp drops in income for site providers. More than 80% of survey respondents reported rent cuts of over 80–90%, making it financially unattractive to host equipment. On top of that, 34% said they now have extra costs from hosting, hitting smaller organizations like schools and charities particularly hard.
The findings of the survey back up what our members tell us: there is a need for a much more collaborative approach from mast operators. Far too often our members face a lack of engagement to address legitimate concerns after operators make applications and get little or no cooperation from operators where essential building repairs are needed.
– BPF Director of Policy, Ion Fletcher, August 2025
Tensions have escalated further because 68% of landowners with expired leases say they have faced legal threats or pressure from telecom companies, often to accept lower rents or less favorable terms. This has resulted in more than 1,000 legal disputes so far. The government is now proposing to expand the ECC rules to another 15,000 sites across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, a move many landowners say will worsen the problem.
By the way, network analytics company Ookla findings show the UK ranks 24th out of 30 Northern European countries for 5G availability, with just 45% coverage.
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