TELECOM ACT GIVES OPERATORS FREEDOM TO PLACE TRANSMITTERS
By Mark Nolan / 2014-05-06 19:30:45
There was an element of excitement in the announcement that the new General Telecommunications Act was approved by the Spanish government, especially the element which would guarantee 10 Meg broadband to all by 2017, but questions are now being asked about elements of implementation of the network that would allow this to happen.
The act was approved by all political groups, after a total of 179 amendments were put in place, but the biggest concern now being raised are in line with previous worries over the damage caused by harmful radiation emitted from transmitters and telecoms networks.
As reported in November of last year, the Los Verdes green party of Orihuela announced plans to create an ordinance to regulate the installation of mobile phone masts, with the intention of removing all unlicensed antennas and transmitter sites, with a lot of detail provided by the Councillor for the Environment on the dangers associated with these masts. Similarly, in April of this year, we reported how the Planning Department of Torrevieja town hall had ordered Telefónica to remove an antenna located on a green area of the urbanization El Chaparral-La Siesta, because it didn´t have the appropriate licences in place for its location.
Now, as part of the newly approved act, telecommunication companies are free to install these mobile phone masts anywhere they choose, and on any roof top deemed necessary, without either the residents or the council having a say or objection.
Critics are now saying that the new law has been “tailor-made” to facilitate the implementation of the more modern 4G mobile networks in all urban areas, but that will also aggravate and increase the health risks associated with these powerful transmitters.
The modern world sees most people attached to their mobile phones, perhaps not prepared to either give them up or suffer the consequences of a reduction in network coverage, but those who have filed cases based on damage to health may see another side to this aggressive act.
The only requirement within the act is that the operators must ask permission from the Industry Ministry before placing their equipment on the residential or commercial building of their choice, but the justification of being of commercial benefit is all that is likely to be needed over the damage to health, or the aesthetics of an area where those who object will now be powerless to act.
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