Connecting the UK

In 2017, we experienced a change in how telecom infrastructure providers and site providers complete site agreements. This change was facilitated through the Electronic Communications Code legislation.

The Government revised the Code to make it quicker and easier to roll out mobile infrastructure on sites, and Cornerstone has fully supported this by changing the way we complete agreements.

As with all changes, it can bring challenges. Our Property and Estates team at Cornerstone has been integral in managing this change for our estate of over 25,000 sites. We have been working with the industry and our landlords to deliver digital services efficiently across the UK.

Understanding the legislation and using it for site agreements has been a learning journey for Cornerstone. However, we embrace transformation and are using the Code to help manage the relationship with our landlords.

With the support from our landlords, we are playing our part in providing our communities with the mobile connectivity they want. Upon completing Code agreements, we can deploy or maintain our telecoms infrastructure on greenfield sites, rooftops, or street works, to enable our Operators to deliver their network service.

We must continue building stronger connections with our landlord community to achieve the Government’s digital ambitions. We understand the Code still has its challenges, but we believe working together will help deliver a better-connected society.

Julian Shariff, Head of Property & Estates, Cornerstone