Government Launch Review of UK Mobile Network Market to Help Boost 5G

The UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has today opened a call for evidence to support their new ‘Mobile Market Review‘, which aims to ensure that their policy and regulatory frameworks are updated to support investment, innovation, competition and consumers. The review could help to boost the rollout of fast 5G and future 6G mobile broadband networks.

Regular readers will know that Mobile Network Operators (MNO), such as EE (BT), O2 (Virgin Media) and VodafoneThree (Vodafone and Three UK), and related infrastructure suppliers frequently push for improvements in the planning system (examples here and here), which would make it quicker and easier for them to upgrade existing networks or deploy new masts, small cells and other infrastructure. But progress on this front has been somewhat slow.

Sadly, the recent Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 largely seemed to ignore mobile networks, preferring instead to focus on other sectors, such as energy, housing and transport. But the 10-Year UK Infrastructure Strategy (10YIS), which followed shortly after that Act, did signal a change by pledging to “remove barriers to digital infrastructure deployment“.

The government then followed up their 10YIS commitment by publishing a related consultation (here), which proposed a variety of possible changes to the planning system. In addition, the Government still plan to implement the remaining provisions of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (PSTI Act) to make it easier and cheaper for wireless infrastructure to be deployed; this will come into force on 7th April 2026.

The newly proposed Mobile Market Review (MMR) thus looks set to complement all this by taking a broader look at the entire market, not only the planning side of things.

Baroness Lloyd of Effra CBE, Minister for Digital Economy, said:

“As the market continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: progress depends on networks that are robust, widely available and backed by sustained investment. The government therefore has a vital role to play in ensuring that the policy and regulatory framework supports investment in our national networks and does not act as a barrier.

This is why I am launching this call for evidence. I want a clear evidence-based picture of how technology, changing market dynamics and regulation are shaping investment in mobile networks. I am determined that we maintain a competitive, innovative ecosystem that supports thriving UK companies, delivers for consumers, drives growth and keeps our networks secure and resilient.

I want to understand what more the government can do to unlock investment and support the delivery of high-quality connectivity that meets the needs of people and business across the UK over the course of this decade.

My first priority is ensuring investment to deliver the availability of reliable, high‑quality and affordable 5G standalone coverage across the UK this decade to drive growth and guarantee digital inclusion. I am also clear that the security and resilience of our telecoms networks is increasingly of central importance to ensuring that the essential services the public rely on continue to operate.

Looking beyond 2030, it is also critical that we understand how the market will evolve over the following decade and what that means for the government’s long‑term objectives.

I am therefore calling on all parts of the sector and interested parties to share detailed insights and evidence on:

➤ The impact of technological and market developments on investment, innovation, competition and consumers.

➤ Policy levers that could unlock further investment in mobile networks.

➤ The appropriate quality-of-service and level of coverage that will enable UK people and businesses to realise the full benefits of standalone 5G.

➤ How we ensure the current regulatory framework continues to deliver the government’s objectives.

Together, we can shape a future where connectivity drives prosperity, inclusion, and innovation across the UK.”

The new Call for Evidence will be open for feedback from today for 10 weeks, closing on 21st April 2026. The Government are thus keen to hear from stakeholders including mobile operators, infrastructure providers, technology companies, local authorities, public sector bodies, civil society organisations, academia and investors.

Greg McCall, BT’s Chief Security and Networks Officer, said:

“We welcome the launch of the Government’s new Mobile Market Review, which rightly recognises the critical importance of stimulating more investment in mobile infrastructure. Such investments could generate up to £230bn in new economic opportunities for the UK – but this can only be unlocked within the right policy framework.

It is therefore imperative that the Review leads to bold decisions and timely reform, empowering the UK to realise the full potential of intelligent and secure connectivity and unlock investment in next-generation networks like 5G+.”

Hamish MacLeod, CEO of Mobile UK, said:

“The Government has rightly identified growth as a priority. We welcome this timely review and its acknowledgement that world leading mobile infrastructure is the backbone of the growth mission. By addressing the barriers to investment—from regulatory complexity to the pace of infrastructure rollout—we can ensure the UK’s mobile connectivity will support the UK being globally competitive in the years to come.”

As usual, the government will find itself walking a difficult line between fostering greater flexibility and potentially causing further frustration for land and property owners, while at the same time needing to be mindful of vocal communities that don’t always appreciate the new infrastructure being built.

However, whether or not they can actually deliver any meaningful changes before there’s another General Election, which may well change the political landscape again, is another matter.