City of London small cell mobile connectivity extended

As it seeks to add mobile capacity in high-demand areas, UK mobile operator EE has moved its outdoor small cell project in the City of London beyond the trial phase with 25 new sites now live, bolstering capacity and enhancing the 4G and 5G network experience.

EE announced in March 2022 that it had deployed 200 new 4G small cells across its UK network to boost capacity in high-demand areas, such as the financial heart of the UK’s capital city. In the next stage of its roll-out strategy, the BT Group-owned mobile provider deployed more than 1,000 small cells across the UK in August 2024. This included its first 5G-capable small cell sites and marked 400 new small cell deployments over the past 12 months.

The new installation will see dozens of additional sites for EE being built in the UK’s principal financial district. The sites are said to be strategically located throughout the Square Mile, such as at landmarks outside St Paul’s Cathedral, Cannon Street and the Bank of England on Threadneedle Street.

Connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider Freshwave built the new mobile infrastructure for the project, and in December 2022, EE became the first mobile network operator to go live with services. Across all the sites involved in the initial pilot, EE said it was seeing up to 7.5TB (terabytes) of data downloaded per week.

Outdoor small cells are installed at street level, which makes them ideal for adding capacity to mobile networks, given that in busy urban areas, where large numbers of people use their mobiles simultaneously, demand on the macro network can be substantial. Outdoor small cells also alleviate a proportion of demand, offering support to the macro mobile network and a better user experience.

Freshwave’s solution enables the new infrastructure to accommodate all four UK mobile network operators’ 4G and 5G networks with no adjustments needed to make them work with the small cell technology. The technology solution features specially designed wideband antennas, cabinets and columns, with extensive dark fibre cable connectivity to each cabinet.

As a neutral host, Freshwave operates the network with shareable infrastructure, a move that is said to result in reduced equipment duplication and enhanced cost-effectiveness. This approach is also attributed with minimising street clutter and the associated disruption during street works. Freshwave added that shareable infrastructure also reduces environmental impact while assuring the connectivity mobile users expect.

“We believe that multi-operator, shareable digital infrastructure is the future of mobile connectivity,” commented Freshwave CEO Simon Frumkin. “Our unique approach allows the mobile network operators to enhance their networks where they need it most, with minimal disruption for the surrounding communities, and we’re looking forward to continuing to expand the network.”

James Hope, director of mobile radio access networks at EE, added: “With our customers using more data than ever, we’re committed to ensuring they enjoy the same great experience with EE in more places. Outdoor small cells are an important part of our mobile network and we’re happy to be extending our work with Freshwave using their cutting-edge approach.”

Shravan Joshi, chairman of the planning and transportation committee at the City of London Corporation, remarked: “The Square Mile is a world-leading business and leisure location in a dense urban environment. People expect to have world-class connectivity and be able to stay in touch as they move around. We’re thrilled to see the network being extended in this way.”