1. Millicom International Cellular
Corporate Position on Key Issues
Visual Pollution
1) Social and economic context
Economic and industrial development is often accompanied by visual pollution: signs,
billboards, posters, banners, littering, poorly planned construction and other related issues.
Different cultures and countries have varying levels of sensitivity to visual pollution, with
tourism-based economies display the greatest sensitivity.
2) Issue at stake
As demand for mobile phone service grows rapidly in emerging countries, networks expand
into remote areas and add additional services and capacity in urban areas. There is therefore
a clear trend toward a higher density of base stations and masts.
Erection of base stations to support network expansion can cause visual damage if located
inappropriately. Waste from advertising material, littering of commercial leaflets and used
scratch cards, as well as inappropriate outdoor advertising can also contribute to visual
pollution.
3) Definition of main terms
Base stations consist of antennas that emit and receive radiofrequency signals, a supporting
structure and a cabinet to house network equipment. They can be placed in a variety of
locations: on existing constructions, shared with other operators or on an independent
structure.
4) Facts and figures
To bring mobile telecommunications to millions of clients, Millicom operates more than
11,000 base stations in the countries in which it operates. Millicom installs most base stations
in urban or semi-urban areas concurrent with electricity and telephone lines. Where needed,
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2. Millicom engages with local communities before making a formal planning application, in
order to minimize visual impact.
Finally, Millicom uses various advertising media to communicate with its clients, such as
billboards and commercial leaflets.
5) Millicom beliefs and principles
Telecommunications services contribute greatly to societal development and mobile
telecommunications is one of the least impactful business sectors in terms of visual damage
and landscape conservation. The infrastructure supporting mobile telephony services has less
visual impact than other necessary infrastructure such as roads, railways, electricity and fixed
phone lines, plants and extraction industries, warehouses, shopping malls and most
advertising..
However, mobile telecommunication providers can contribute to bothersome visual
pollution, notably through inappropriate design or siting of base stations, inappropriate
outdoor advertising, and waste generated by top-up scratch cards and commercial leaflets.
Millicom recognizes that visual impact may be perceived differently depending on the
cultural context, and carefully adapts its practices to local expectations.
Millicom is committed to responsible use of advertising media (billboards, leaflets, etc.),
because it makes economic, social and environmental sense, without significantly limiting
our capacity to raise customer awareness and to communicate with current and potential
customers.
In recognition of its responsibility regarding visual impact, Millicom has defined a policy that
aims at:
- Hiding or disguising antennas and base stations where demonstrably justified and feasible;
- Sharing infrastructure with other operators to reduce visual obstruction when appropriate;
- Advising its clients that scratch cards and commercial leaflets should not be littered;
- Seizing all opportunities to choose eco-friendly solutions: such as switch from scratch cards
to e-pin process and using recyclable or biodegradable materials for advertising campaigns
- Joining local authorities and businesses’ initiatives towards responsible outdoor advertising.
6) Current initiatives
Millicom’s operations in Mauritius and Bolivia illustrate our commitment to adapt to the
local context.
In Mauritius, where landscape preservation is a national concern, Millicom engages:
- To implement landscape-friendly infrastructures, by designing base stations to blend with
the surrounding landscape, and by using hidden antennas in urban areas instead of
traditional tower structures on roof tops. When concealment is impossible, antennas are
disguised into artificial palm trees;
- To devise landscape-friendly visibility campaigns, by making a responsible use of billboards
for advertising (using only billboards placed on existing buildings), by printing all advertising
supplies on recyclable or biodegradable materials when economically feasible;
- To raise subscribers’ awareness on avoiding the littering of prepaid scratch cards and
leaflets;
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3. - To take the lead in contributing to the embellishment of public places, sponsoring public
activities to combat visual pollution, and educating the young about landscape conservation
and prevention of visual pollution.
In Bolivia, Millicom requests the approval from neighborhood associations for the
installation of each new site. Thereafter, the placement and visual aspects of all new
infrastructure is agreed with local authorities.
The switch from scratch cards to electronic top-up (e-pin) process is already ongoing in all
operations. The D. R. Congo, Chad and Paraguay are leaders with respectively 100%, 94%
and 84% of airtime sales through e-pin. We will be progressively extending this to our other
markets. Millicom is also extending the print of disposal recommendation or “Do not litter”
icons on scratch cards and leaflets.
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