All operators on board with indoor mobile signal at Leeds Bradford Airport
Yorkshire’s primary airport chose Freshwave’s Omni Network to deliver all-operator mobile coverage for passengers and staff.
90,000+
90,000+ voice calls on Omni Network in one month
Mobile was a key consideration in the LBA:REGEN programme
Leeds Bradford Airport is Yorkshire’s largest airport, offering more than 80 destinations. Currently serving over four million passengers a year, the airport plans to welcome seven million a year by 2030.
As part of a regeneration programme to improve passenger experience, LBA:REGEN is increasing the terminal floor space by almost 40%, along with undertaking a major refurbishment of the existing building.
Recognising the importance of indoor mobile signal for both passenger experience and operations, Leeds Bradford Airport invested in the provision of Freshwave’s Omni Network. It provides all-operator connectivity via a combined small cell unit. Compared to a distributed antenna system, Omni Network uses less energy, less space in the comms room, and can be deployed more quickly.
Project type
Seven million
Seven million passengers a year expected to be using the airport by 2030
90,000+
90,000+ voice calls on Omni Network in one month
20TB+
20TB of data used in one month. Enough to stream around 10,000 movies
Details
- Customer name
- Adrian Rollins
- Role
- Head of Information Systems
- Company
- Leeds Bradford Airport
- Year
- 2026
We’re proud to have invested in providing a dedicated mobile system for the benefit of our passengers and staff. Omni Network is a digital foundation which will help us drive sustainable growth and enhance international connectivity for Yorkshire. We’re delighted with how quickly Freshwave deployed the network, and the feedback from passengers and staff has been fantastic.
Beyond passenger coverage: Supporting airport operations
As well as providing seamless signal for passengers, Omni Network also supports airport operations. Leeds Bradford Airport has transitioned its push-to-talk radio service onto the in-building mobile network, so staff have assured connectivity and can stay in touch with one another as they carry out airport services.
An investment in today – and the future
The first phase of the project saw Omni Network connect 85,000 sq ft of the new terminal extension which includes baggage claim, retail outlets, and food and beverage areas. The next phase will cover another 44,000 sq ft of newly refurbished areas such as security. Omni Network’s scalable approach means it can be extended easily to new areas.
With Freshwave’s enterprise-pays model, the airport funds all-operator mobile coverage for passengers and staff through a monthly fee, with Freshwave providing ongoing support as part of a managed service.
Keep passengers moving.
From airports to railway stations, discover how we design and deliver resilient mobile networks that keep people, services and operations connected.
Indoor small cells
An indoor small cell is a low power cellular coverage box that boosts mobile service for people in a carefully defined area inside. They’re similar in size and shape to a Wi-Fi access point.
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