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Sparks Flying: Increasing Network Connectivity For Tenants

The Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021 (the Act) received royal assent on 15 March 2021.  The Act amends the Electronic Communications Code 2017 (the Code) by introducing a new Part 4A into the Communications Act 2003 and seeks to alleviate the frustration of operators who cannot install telecommunication infrastructure at leasehold properties due to unresponsive landlords. The issue of

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Rooftop rows: What does an imposed Code agreement mean for site providers and operators?

Lillee Reid-Hunt, Associate (New Zealand Qualified), consider the Upper Tribunal’s decision in Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd v London & Quadrant Housing Trust [2020] UKUT 282 (LC).  The decision provides useful guidance on what site providers and operators can expect from the terms of an imposed Code agreement, especially in relation to upgrading and sharing of equipment and ballpark consideration and

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Vodafone vs Hanover Capital [2020] – a valuable precedent for landowners?

The County Court delivered the first decision concerning the interaction between the 2017 Electronic Communications Code (“ECC” or “Code”) and the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (“LTA 1954”) in Vodafone Limited v Hanover Capital Limited [2020].

Background

The ECC sets out ‘transitional provisions’ for subsisting Code Agreements that were entered into between parties before the 2017 Digital Economy Act came

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COVID-19 and Telecommunications Infrastructure – Government Guidance

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has recently published guidance for network operators to emphasise the importance of telecommunications infrastructure in England during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The government has recognised the importance of the telecommunications sector during the COVID-19 outbreak. Telecommunications has been included as one of the critical sectors and telecommunications field engineers, network operations staff,

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‘Code Red’ – Guidance for landowners on the (New) Electronic Communications Code

Were the initial anxieties of public and private sector landowners about the Electronic Communications Code justified? James Nelson, Lillee Reid-Hunt and Nicholas Grundy QC examine its impact.

The fundamental provisions of the new Electronic Communications Code (“New Code”) came into force following the passing of the Digital Economy Act 2017 (“DEA17”). The New Code grants telecoms operators statutory rights to

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