Manchester better connected by small cell mobile deal
Freshwave will deploy more than 20 outdoor small cells across busy parts of city centre on behalf of Virgin Media O2, in new agreement with Manchester City Council
We tend to think of urban centres such as our cities as having better mobile and internet connections than in more rural areas. But though cities may often have more digital infrastructure they all also have more people – and that has a huge impact on our ability to connect.
Photo by Matthew Waring
In busy urban centres, the large numbers of people all using their mobile phones and devices at the same puts high demand on the network. The result is poorer connectivity.
Manchester City Council is hoping to address this problem though a new agreement with Freshwave, a company that provides connectivity infrastructure as a service. Freshwave will deploy outdoor small cells to a range of locations throughout the city to help meet demand. Connected to Virgin Media O2’s fibre network, they’ll help relieve pressure on the wider mobile network.
One big advantage of outdoor small cells is that they can be fixed to existing street furniture – for example, lamp posts – so don’t add clutter to our streets. People might not even notice the new additions; they’ll just notice the better connection. The small cells will immediately enhance the existing 4G signal and are also ready for the superior 5G.
Sites selected for the deployment include outside the Arndale Shopping Centre, Manchester Piccadilly Station and Piccadilly Gardens, and other bustling parts of the city.
Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Finance and Resources at Manchester City Council, says: ‘Everyone in Manchester deserves to benefit from high quality, reliable digital infrastructure. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Freshwave and Virgin Media O2 to bring convenient, fair and equitable connectivity to more people in our city. We believe that this agreement is a significant step towards achieving the aims set out in our Digital Strategy for 2021-26, which outlines our ambitious vision to build a more digitally enabled future for Manchester. By enhancing communication, improving access to vital services, and driving economic growth, improved connectivity will make a transformative difference to the lives of businesses, residents, and visitors alike.’
Steven Verigotta, Director of Mobile Delivery at Virgin Media O2, adds: ‘We are committed to bringing the best experience possible to our customers no matter where they are. Small cells are an important part of this strategy, helping to boost capacity for customers in some of the busiest areas. With upgrade programmes underway right across our network, we’re working hard to ensure our customers consistently receive an exceptional experience wherever they are and even at the busiest times.’
Nick Wiggin, Head of Partnerships at Freshwave, says: ‘This agreement is an exciting step forward in Manchester’s digital ambitions. We want to stay connected no matter where we are, whether at home or on the go in the city centre, and Freshwave are always pleased to work with partners in bringing assured connectivity to where it’s needed.’
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