A recent article in The Times asked a question many Londoners have probably pondered while staring at a buffering phone screen: why is 5G so poor in the capital? The short answer: complex planning laws, public resistance, and a skyline that’s both stunning and signal-blocking.
Despite being a global capital, London ranked bottom in a MedUX report assessing 5G performance across 15 major European cities. Connectivity in Stockholm and Porto came out top, offering seamless video calls and fast upload speeds — often while wandering through historic areas. In contrast, Londoners regularly struggle to send a message even when at major landmarks.
So, what’s going wrong?
THE CHALLENGES
- Capacity, not coverage: With nearly 10 million people living, commuting or visiting London daily, demand for data is immense. Even where signal bars are strong, congestion causes speeds to grind to a halt.
- Planning red tape: With 78% of Westminster’s land designated as a conservation area and over 11,000 listed buildings, installing or upgrading telecoms infrastructure can be a bureaucratic minefield. Each borough has its own fees, timelines, and interpretations of planning law.
- NIMBY objections: Public resistance to visible infrastructure often halts mast proposals, even when they’re essential to network improvement.
- Risk to health misconceptions: Misunderstood risks from radio transmissions
- Skyscrapers and of all things, glass: London’s iconic skyline – and the materials used to construct it – weakens signal. Thermal glass in towers like the Shard or One Canada Square blocks radio waves, compounding connectivity issues.
OUR SOLUTION
At CU Phosco, we’ve supported the telecommunications industry for more than 40 years. Working directly with Mobile Network Operators and their partners, we design and manufacture robust infrastructure to support the delivery of reliable mobile connectivity.
One of our latest innovations, Connected Urban, is designed to address the very problems outlined in The Times’ article.
SMART INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SMARTER CITIES - CONNECTED URBAN
Connected Urban is a compact, multi-functional smart pole designed for urban spaces, offering a sleek and efficient solution to boost capacity and improve mobile coverage at street level — all without compromising the visual integrity of the cityscape.
Key Features:
- One small footprint for street-level telecoms
- Boosts capacity and densification for better connectivity
- Macro + small cell delivery in one pole
- Modular, scalable design – lighting, antennas, CCTV, PA & more
- Aesthetic design sympathetic to surroundings
- Thermally resilient – great airflow + solar protection
This solution not only streamlines planning applications by reducing visual impact but also supports the technical requirements of modern 5G networks.
ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Connected Urban has already been deployed to improve mobile capacity in major European cities — including Cologne, where it played a key role in boosting 5G infrastructure ahead of the European Football Championship: Read more about our work in Cologne
LET'S BUILD THE CONNECTED CITIES OF TOMORROW, TODAY
We continue to work with forward-thinking cities and telecoms providers across the globe to roll out smart infrastructure that meets the demands of modern urban life.
If you need solutions which are more readily accepted by planners and are proven to deliver coverage in the urban environment then contact us.
Note: A subscription is required to read full article.