Wire · founder news, decoded · operational-macro
5G tech on lampposts approved despite safety fears
Devon County Council approved plans to attach 5G equipment to street lights across the county, generating £300-£350 annually per lamppost despite councillor safety concerns. The move aims to boost rural connectivity where coverage lags at 45-66% versus the 96% national average.
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The Wire takeaway
If you're building rural connectivity or last-mile broadband, councils have just opened their asset base as a distribution layer and revenue source. Devon's 45% coverage gap and the council's approval route—without planning scrutiny—signals that local authorities across the UK will now license their infrastructure to carriers at scale.
Read the full story at bbc.com →
Topics: IoT & Edge · 5g-rollout · rural-connectivity · asset-monetisation · uk-infrastructure