Mobile Operators 'Improve Consultation'
Planners give mobile operators a good reception
New research shows that local authority planners are increasingly satisfied with the consultation carried out by mobile network operators, for base station sites to support mobile phone use. Ipsos research carried out over the past six years shows positive improvement in all areas of consultation and information year on year. The main findings of the research were:
- Four in five planners agree that there has been an improvement in the quality of information and level of consultation by operators. One in five 'strongly agree', almost three times as many as did so in 2001.
- Seven in eight planners feel operators co-operate positively with requests for more information about planning applications.
- More than four fifths agree the operators provide them with enough information about their plans for mobile base stations within their local authority area. This figure has risen significantly over the years: in 2001, just a quarter of planners thought this was the case.
- Just over four in five agree that the operators make themselves available for discussion with planners before submitting applications, and though fewer (70%) agree the operators also show willingness to consult local people directly, this has increased since 2001 when only eight per cent said the same.
Good Reception -- continuing to address the needs of planners pdf, 2.7GB
Technical details
Ipsos interviews a representative quota sample of 100 senior local authority planners involved in mobile phone base station planning every May. A quota is set to ensure that the sample is representative of the different types of local councils across Great Britain. The research has been conducted annually since May 2001. The data referenced here are from the 2006 study. Interviews were conducted between 8-16 May 2006. Interviews were carried out using CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing).
