Re: "a law change"
I think that is rather too much of a simplification. The original article stated "A Freedom of Information response... ...showed that the scheme's failured have* been blamed on problems with site providers' willingness to allow a mast to be erected, the local planning application framework, and the availability of electrical power.
(*funny bit of English here, but I have left it alone.)
"Site providers' willingness" certainly features, as does "the local planning application framework" but the "availability of electrical power" could be a major difficulty. Not much good in having an "ideal" site with no objections from the site owner or local planners if it is going to cost <deity> knows how much to get power to the place. It would be interesting to know the percentage of "failures" attributable to each of the three specified hurdles, along with a typical cost per mile for providing power.
Altough not mentioned in the list there might also be complications in getting the "ground - based network" to some sites, although SHF links should be able to get round that fairly easily. Of course the GBN to the other end of the link might have to be expanded as well.
It is perhaps not so easy as some (particularly politicians) might wish it to be, but as has been stated before technology and politicians do not make for a happy mix.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
