A 20-METRE-high telecommunications tower could be installed near Andover if plans are given the go-ahead.

Mobile phone company EE has submitted proposals to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council asking for permission to install the base station and 20m tall lattice tower at a secured compound at Lower Wyke Farm, in Hurstbourne Priors.

The plans are part of EE’s continued network improvement programme, to “provide coverage and capacity to the immediate area with a specific requirement to cover the railway line, incorporating not only 3G but 4G technology”.

Its application refers to the Government supporting communication infrastructure which it says is “essential for sustainable economic growth”.

The base station would use radio signals to connect mobile devices and phones to the network, enabling people to send and receive calls, texts, emails, pictures, web, TV and downloads.

Without these base stations, the application states, mobile devices and phones will not work.

It adds: “Many other everyday items also use radio signals to send and receive information, such as television and radio broadcasting equipment and two-way radio communications. Base stations are connected to each other and telephone exchange buildings by cables or wireless technology such as microwave dishes, to create the network.

“The area each base station covers is called a “cell”. Each cell overlaps with its neighbouring cells to create a continuous network. The size and shape of each cell is determined by the features of the surrounding area, such as buildings, trees and hills which can block signals.

“When people travel between cells, the signal is transferred between base stations without a break in service. Each base station covers a certain area only and can only handle a limited number of calls at once. As mobile phones and devices become more popular, more base stations are needed to ensure continuous coverage.”

The application follows a pre-application consultation on January 15.

The application said: “It is imperative that support is given to the introduction of 4G technology as this will allow networks to be able to handle more data and connect more devices simultaneously at much faster speeds than is possible using the existing technology. This will enable places to remain competitive in and will support the Government’s ambition for the UK to become a world leader in mobile technologies.”