Ofcom appeals Information Tribunal decision

Ofcom appeals Information Tribunal decision

Ofcom is appealing a decision by the UK Information Tribunal to the High Court that the media regulator says could derail a system which tells the public where mobile phone masts are located.

The Sitefinder website gives the location of masts on a map and is searchable against postcodes or addresses. Individual mast information such as the name of the operator is also available when a user clicks on an individual base station.

A freedom of information request demanding that all the detailed information held by Ofcom be provided in a single, searchable database has been backed by the Information Commissioner and the Information Tribunal.

The request, which was made by Ian Henton, the information manager for NHS body Health Protection Scotland, included in its scope some information used by Ofcom but not disclosed to the public by the Sitefinder site.

Operators have withdrawn their co-operation from the site and Ofcom said that if the request is successful the site will no longer be useful.

UK Information Tribunal decisions do not apply to Scotland.

Ofcom appeals order to release mobile mast data (Out-Law, 3 October 2007)