Gowling WLG advises The Greater London Authority on agreements to address mobile “not spots” and make London 5G ready

Nicholas Vuckovic, Principal Associate at international law firm Gowling WLG, was appointed on behalf of the Greater London Authority as the technical author of a set of standard agreements to speed up the process of negotiating terms to allow mobile providers access to rooftops and other sites to install apparatus.

The agreements, published by The Mayor of London, are the result of over a year's work by a steering group comprising representatives of mobile network operators and their partnerships, landlords, London local authorities, the Cabinet Office, RICS, the City of London and others. They are intended to help commercial landlords and public property owners address poor areas of mobile phone coverage, improve connectivity and prepare the city for the rollout of 5G.

The agreements can also be used in transactions with private sector landowners, in London and elsewhere in England & Wales. The templates are intended to be a neutral starting point for use by those acting for both site providers and mobile network operators, and it is hoped that less time would therefore be spent in negotiations, reducing costs for both parties.

The suite of documents includes:

• Greenfield Agreement
• Greenfield Lease
• Rooftop Agreement
• Rooftop Lease
• Guidance Note

The templates are available for download on the Greater London Authority website.