London's mobile networks have fallen to the bottom of Europe's capital-city rankings, according to Ookla's latest speed and latency measurements. The Register reports that the UK capital now trails every other European capital, with rooftop rent cuts, planning refusals, and congestion all cited as contributing factors.
The analysis points to a familiar problem for dense urban networks: operators need more small cells and rooftop sites to keep up with demand, but lower rents for rooftop access and repeated planning refusals have made it harder to deploy that infrastructure. As a result, capacity is stretched, and users in busy areas feel the impact in slower speeds and higher latency.
The report does not suggest a single fix, but it highlights how policy and commercial decisions at the local level can shape network quality. For London, the path back up the rankings likely runs through smoother planning processes and more attractive terms for site owners.