EE enhances City of London coverage with further outdoor small cell sites with Freshwave

Freshwave, a connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider, has brought nearly 50 new outdoor small cell sites live for mobile network operator (MNO) EE in the City of London, expanding coverage and improving 4G and 5G connectivity for EE mobile customers in one of the globe’s leading financial and business hubs.

EE continues to enhance mobile connectivity for its customers in the Square Mile, with the latest sites adding to Freshwave’s previous delivery of 35 sites for the operator and with a further 34 in build. The network uses a first-of-its-kind design by Freshwave, made to accommodate all the MNOs on 4G and 5G from day one, with no adjustments needed to the infrastructure.

Mobile signal will be boosted for EE customers outside iconic City landmarks, including St Paul’s Cathedral, the Old Bailey and Guildhall, extending to areas surrounding the Barbican as well as along Fleet Street. EE is already seeing an average of 125TB of data downloaded per week across all its Freshwave-deployed sites in the City.

Outdoor small cells are installed at street level which make them ideal for adding the much-needed capacity to high footfall areas. In busy urban environments, demand on the outdoor mobile network can be substantial. Small cells help alleviate some of this demand, relieving the outdoor network and ensuring a better experience for mobile users.

James Hope, Director of Mobile Radio Access Networks at EE, said: “As demand for high-capacity, low-latency connectivity continues to grow, we’re proud to be expanding our mobile network in the heart of the City of London. These additional sites will further boost performance and resilience for residents and visitors alike, with robust mobile connectivity being key to supporting the City’s digital future. Working with trusted partners like Freshwave, we’re committed to delivering the best 4G and 5G experience, even in the most data-demanding environments.”

Tom Sleigh, Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the City of London Corporation, said: “The Square Mile is a globally recognised centre for commerce, culture, and innovation, and world-class digital infrastructure is vital to maintaining that position and increasing the City’s appeal. As more people expect seamless connectivity wherever they go, enhancing coverage across the City of London is an essential step to becoming future-ready. We’re delighted to see this kind of collaborative deployment taking shape in the City and look forward to continuing to work with EE and Freshwave on delivering this transformation.”

Simon Frumkin, CEO at Freshwave, said: “We’re proud to be working in close partnership with the City of London Corporation and EE on expanding this pioneering multi-operator network across the Square Mile. This project is a great example of how innovative engineering can deliver real-world impact in even the most complex urban environments. We’re excited to keep building on this momentum to support the UK’s digital economy.”

As well as developments in outdoor mobile signal, the Square Mile is also leading the way in in-building connectivity. More than 5,000,000 sq ft of commercial building space in the City of London benefits from seamless multi-operator mobile connectivity, thanks to Freshwave’s indoor connectivity deployments.

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