Duty to provide ducting and consult with telecommunications operators

Prospective developers of new housing areas, retail and office developments, community buildings and industrial areas should therefore consider at initial design stage with all relevant telecommunications operators how the future telecommunication needs of future occupiers will be met. Developers should provide adequate ducting for telecommunications cables (and for other services where appropriate) to be installed at the outset both underground and in the structure of the buildings proposed, sufficient to meet foreseeable demand for competitive services likely to be provided to those developments. This will help to minimise the disruption and expense if provision has to be made later, and can reduce the need for new telecommunications apparatus above ground. Provision of such apparatus to serve the occupiers, such as communal or master antenna systems, should normally be the subject of close consultation and co-operation between the developer and the telecommunications operators.