Digital Infrastructure – adapting and innovating to proactively address the changing needs of the telecoms market

Why DM renamed the Telecoms team by Jonathan Speers, Director of Digital Infrastructure at DM

Digital infrastructure is undoubtably playing a crucial role in building our modern wireless society and in supporting Net Zero emission targets. By enabling the design and rollout of new and emerging digital technologies, the UK and Ireland is assured of better business success, productivity and connectivity for its people.

DM has built a strong and trusted reputation in delivering for wireless and fibre clients over the past six years, managing their estates network and the acquisition of land rights and planning consents. But during the past 12 months, we have been able to offer our expertise to a wider range of clients and markets in the digital infrastructure sector.

To reflect this and the new capabilities in our team, we are changing things up at Dalcour Maclaren by repositioning our Telecoms sector to deliver for our increasingly diverse and growing client base.

NEW MARKETS

We are now involved in supporting digital technologies in areas such as small cells, smart grids, energy management systems and the repurposing, expansion and upgrading of existing telecommunication networks.

Small cell technology

is a welcome alternative to towering telecom masts. These small transmission devices – barely noticed by passersby – are in stark contrast to the masts that are hard to roll out and require considerable stakeholder engagement input and cost.

Currently, we are delivering acquisition and planning of land rights, in addition to advising on engagement and roll out strategies with local planning authorities, for our client, an innovative provider of small cell technology.

Smart grids and energy management systems

use digital communications technology to detect and react to local changes in energy usage. We have been commissioned to run deployment design and consenting across a multitude of landscapes including highways, private and government-owned properties, and large industrial and commercial organisations.

Repurposing, expansion and upgrading of existing telecommunication networks.

As these assets become defunct, we support in the removing of old telecoms infrastructure and replacing with digital infrastructure that provides multi-faceted assets such as advertising units, street charging points and interactive information hubs.

CURRENT MARKETS

The quality of our team across the UK and Ireland means that we continue to win work for mobile network operators (MNOs); fibre networks (including alt networks); neutral host providers; as well as estates management for utility companies with telecoms assets on their sites. Our fibre projects are key in putting an end to digital poverty, particularly for those in multiple dwelling units (MDUs) and rural areas – bringing broadband to traditionally underserved demographics.

A BETTER APPROACH

Our delivery approach is also evolving. We can now capture data for both large and difficult to access areas in half the time and provide twice the detail than more traditional methods. This is through our investment in the last innovations in:

lasers
drones
digital twin
AI technology.

OUR SERVICES

Acquisition of land rights

By acquiring the appropriate land rights for our clients, we enable their digital infrastructure to be deployed. We support the development of a land and property rights strategy and then deploy our team to execute that plan, removing the risk of having no access to land or property.

Planning consents

Our qualified planners ensure our clients have an informed planning strategy in place to ensure large capital sums are not lost in pursuing non-viable infrastructure designs. Providing an end-to-end planning service our expert team ensure our clients are guided through the complex planning process.

Estates management

DM has a team of property experts who manage all the property related elements of our client’s digital infrastructure. Ensuring terms of our client’s occupation are honoured and rents paid and that the facilities and access management of our client’s infrastructure is kept to a high standard so that our clients can maintain a high level of service to their customers.

Wayleave acquisition

Beyond seeking to acquire rights over singular or defined areas, our clients require infrastructure to be deployed over multiple occupancies spanning hundreds of interests. We run all of the negotiation and agreements for access, compensation handling and project management.

To find out more and ensure that your project is delivered at pace, with the right levels of compliance and with respect to landowners, contact Jonathan Speers.