Kazakhstan may allow cell towers on rooftops without residents’ consent

Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan is considering a new law that would permit the installation of mobile network base stations on residential rooftops without the approval of residents. The bill is expected to be submitted to the Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) by the end of this year.

Deputy Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Doszhan Musaliyev confirmed that the legislative initiative is currently being discussed among government agencies.

“This proposal has been under review by various state bodies. The initiative came from our ministry, but it has met strong opposition and generated a lot of debate,” Musaliyev said.

He noted that the issue could reach Parliament before the end of the year.

“We expect the discussion to continue in the Mazhilis. It all depends on public opinion — if the majority of citizens support it, I believe it’s achievable. We expect the bill to be reviewed in December,” he added.

The Ministry of Digital Development previously proposed amendments to simplify the installation of mobile antennas and towers, aiming to improve network coverage.

The change would affect Article 42-5 of the Law on Housing Relations, allowing telecom equipment to be placed on shared residential property with a sanitary and epidemiological safety certificate — but without requiring approval from residents.

Officials say opposition from so-called “radiophobes” — citizens who fear radiation from cell towers — has often delayed or blocked network expansion projects. This, they argue, has left many neighborhoods with poor mobile coverage and widespread “white zones” where internet and phone service remain unavailable.