Telecom real estate

Our experience in the telecoms sector dates back over 25 years

We have been involved in the Telecoms industry right from the beginning.

When the roll out of mobile base stations started in earnest, we started acquisition work for Orange and T-Mobile (now EE), quickly followed by Vodafone and O2 and finally Three when it was launched at the end of the decade and we are still here now acquiring rights for 5G rollout.

We currently comprehensively manage what is probably one of the largest real estate portfolios in the UK – the Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL) portfolio of some 30,000 mobile base stations. MBNL operates the combined network for EE and Three, providing coverage to 99% of the UK’s population.

From our beginnings in business rates and acquisition, we have developed a long list of bespoke services we offer to Operator clients.

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Changing Places podcast: Beyond the server

Whether you’re endless scrolling through Instagram or getting the latest stock updates on Robinhood, every tap, swipe, and like goes through one of the thousands of data centers around the world.

These data centers are the central nerve system of every technology company, government agency, and streaming platform in the world. Without them, our tech-driven world isn’t possible. How did we get here, and what does the future hold for data centers as technology only becomes a more prevalent part of our days? Host Mariam Sobh explores with experts Michael Rechtin, Partner of Real Estate at Seyfarth Shaw LLP and Rob Walters, Principal, Data Centers Sales and Leasing at Avison Young.

LEARN MORE AND LISTEN HERE

Our experience in the telecoms sector dates back over 25 years

We have been involved in the Telecoms industry right from the beginning.

When the roll out of mobile base stations started in earnest, we started acquisition work for Orange and T-Mobile (now EE), quickly followed by Vodafone and O2 and finally Three when it was launched at the end of the decade and we are still here now acquiring rights for 5G rollout.

We currently comprehensively manage what is probably one of the largest real estate portfolios in the UK – the Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL) portfolio of some 30,000 mobile base stations. MBNL operates the combined network for EE and Three, providing coverage to 99% of the UK’s population.

From our beginnings in business rates and acquisition, we have developed a long list of bespoke services we offer to Operator clients.

Our acquisition team has the experience and knowledge to meet client needs. We have been involved in some of the most successful upgrade projects in the telecoms industry and are already heavily involved in 5G rollout.

We also support our clients when forced to relocate, usually to allow landlords to redevelop their properties. Our extensive property knowledge and experience enables relationships to be managed effectively with the landlord/ developer and acquire replacement sites so as to maintain network coverage for clients.

A high proportion of new sites being acquired tend to be in sensitive areas with poor coverage, making the process sometimes complex and our dedicated telecoms planners are adept at such applications.

We deal with hundreds of lease renewals and rent reviews annually and our expertise in this area ensures we are the agent of choice for representations to arbitrators and independent experts.

We have a thorough understanding of the Electronic Communications Code (updated as per 28th December 2017), which governs the acquisition and exercise of new rights by operators of electronic communications networks to install apparatus on, under or over land.

We have been involved in some of the first negotiated deals under the ‘New Code’.

Business rates are a big issue for Telecoms operators. The tension between an industry barely 30 years old and a tax system dating back centuries is a constant threat. We have case managed most of the important test cases in recent years, provided expert witnesses and been successful in all of them.

Our rates management team are responsible for over 50,000 properties with business rate liability of over a billion pounds per annum. As well as making rates payments on behalf of clients they are able to mitigate business rate liability, via rate reliefs gained at Local Authority level.

We are able to handle all cash transactions including making payments to and collecting refunds from landlords and billing authorities. We currently manage one of the largest property portfolios in the UK with over 30,000 base stations. We also undertake full financial reporting through to full site by site profit and loss, balance sheet, pre-payment and accrual accounting. The analytical reports which are produced give an intelligent insight into the activity and issues related to a clients’ portfolio.