London's hidden connectivity problem

One in five London high streets suffer from weak signal coverage despite technically being covered. These 'functional not-spots' create pockets of poor connectivity in the heart of the city.

“one in five London high streets have a functional not-spot”

The 3.5-year infrastructure gap

When landowners issue Notices to Quit, operators get 18 months to remove equipment. But replacing a mobile site takes five years on average, creating a 3.5-year shortfall in coverage.

“it takes up to 3.5 more years to relocate a mast after the warning period”

£2.7 billion annual economic cost

VodafoneThree calculates that London loses £7.4 million in economic output daily due to these infrastructure gaps, totalling £2.7 billion per year across the capital.

Transport hubs at risk

Up to 60 National Rail, Underground and Overground stations could face Notices to Quit at any given time, threatening connectivity at major transport interchanges across London.

Outdated planning processes blamed

VodafoneThree says the five-year replacement timescale stems from outdated planning rules and complexity in securing new sites and permissions, not operator inefficiency.

“outdated planning processes and the complexity of securing a new site and relevant permissions”

Early planning involvement needed

VodafoneThree wants developers and planners to involve mobile operators at the earliest stages so operators can secure replacement locations sooner and avoid coverage gaps.

“We welcome the growing recognition of NTQs as an issue and support efforts to ensure connectivity is considered from the earliest stages of the planning process”