The Church of England (CoE) wants to persuade mobile phone operators that it is better to give while the church receives, as it seeks to strike a deal that would impress Mammon.

The CoE's Archbishop's Council is compiling a database of parish churches that are prepared to allow companies to erect radio transmission masts within their steeples. Church leaders believe operators will flock to the scheme because the masts can be hidden from view, circumventing a common planning objection.

The industry has already approached individual churches in key regions, with more than 50 masts already installed.

The Council is urging priests to sign up to the proposed deal early so that the CoE can strike a collective bargain with operators on a regional basis and make sure that individual churches are not fleeced. It acknowledges the added value that steeples represent to carriers and insists that companies should pay a premium to install masts in them.

The final decision on whether to install a mast will rest with individual parish councils. Church leaders have decided that operators will be assessed for "preferred status", giving individual priests a guarantee that operators will meet safety standards and preserve church buildings.

Andrew Parker, marketing director at Norweb Telecom, confirmed that his company will investigate the possibilities. "We are not in talks with the CoE. It is something we might be interested in, though," he said.

Rents for installations will start at about £5000 a year, although this figure could reach a higher plane for churches in the south, as the pressure grows on third-generation licence holders to have 87 per cent of their coverage in place by 2007.

However, the CoE's call will not be answered by their Roman Catholic (RC) counterparts. Monsignor Richard Moth, spokesman for the diocese of Southwark, said that many RC church buildings are significantly smaller than Anglican structures.

This is because Henry VIII seized many RC churches during the Reformation, securing a future competitive advantage for Anglicans. "We've got one church in Thanet with a mast in its grounds, but most are quite modern," said Moth.

First published in Network News