We said:
We would update existing network deployment guidelines and assess local operating companies' compliance with global policy by March 2008.
We would continue to track public views on our network deployment and define a target to increase public acceptance by March 2008.
We would introduce a system to track training of all employees and contractors working in network deployment across the Group.
We would develop a set of common questions for all local operating companies to use in landlord surveys to track landlord satisfaction levels across the Group.
We have:
Reviewed our key performance indicators (KPIs) on network deployment
In 2006/07, we reported for the first time against a new set of KPIs to assess our operating companies’ performance on responsible network deployment. These included the percentage of contracts not renewed by property owners; the average time to obtain consent; the number of local authority objections to applications; and surveys of landlords and the general public.
However, we now recognise that these KPIs do not provide a meaningful measure of operating company performance, as they can be affected by many factors beyond Vodafone’s control. For example, the time taken to obtain consent varies widely and often reflects the complexity of local planning regulations rather than Vodafone’s approach.
Landlord satisfaction and renewal of contracts is usually determined by the level of payment we offer rather than community concerns. Measures of public acceptance can also be subjective. For these reasons, we have decided not to develop a set of common questions to track landlord satisfaction levels across the Group, or to define a target to measure our performance based on increasing public acceptance. We will, however, continue to consult with communities locally and monitor public perceptions through Group-wide surveys every two to three years.
We will also continue to track the number of local authority rejections of planning applications. In 2007/08, 16.3% of our applications for new base station sites were rejected by local planning authorities.
Instead of assessing our performance in this area against the previous KPIs, we are focusing on strengthening our policy and guidelines on responsible network deployment and ensuring compliance across the Group, particularly by contractors (see new target below).
Updated our Group Responsible Network Deployment Policy
We reviewed and updated our Group Responsible Network Deployment Policy in December 2007 to include it in the new Vodafone Group Governance Manual, which encompasses all our global policies. We have also developed policy implementation guidelines that are available on our intranet and will be added to existing handbooks, such as our network sharing and network outsourcing manuals. These manuals will cover Vodafone policies, data collection and reporting. They will also include new sections on responsible network deployment including guidelines for communicating our values and practices to contractors.
Assessed local operating companies' compliance with our Responsible Network Deployment policy
We have reviewed all local operating companies’ network deployment practices to ensure compliance with our Group Responsible Network Deployment policy, through a self-assessment questionnaire. During 2007/08, representatives from our CR and technology teams visited most of our operating companies to examine their activity and share best practice on how to improve standards.
Assessed contractor compliance with our Responsible Network Deployment policy in all our operating companies
We have conducted audits of network deployment contractors in all our local operating companies. More than 1,000 site audits took place in Turkey, one of our newest operating companies and the focus of our most significant network deployment in 2007/08.
Introduced certification for network deployment contractors
The certification process is designed to ensure they understand our responsible network deployment policy and guidelines before they begin work for Vodafone. Contractors are certified locally. We plan to ensure all local operating companies implement the certification process by March 2010.
Entered into network sharing agreements with mobile companies in two further countries
In the UK, we entered into an agreement with Orange in February 2008 to share base station sites (each with our own network equipment at each site) for both 3G and 2G networks across the country. In November 2007, we agreed with Telecom Italia that we would renew our agreement to share sites in Italy for a further six years. See network sharing for more information.
Been found in breach of planning regulations relating to 421 base station sites
We always aim to comply with local planning regulations when placing our base stations, but are sometimes found to be in breach. Breaches of planning regulations resulted in fines of £69,091 across four markets in 2007/08, mainly relating to conflicting local and regional planning regulations.
We will:
- Audit contractors' compliance with our Responsible Network Deployment policy in all Vodafone operations by March 2010.
