EE has made significant progress in its deployment of 5G small cells across the UK, with over 1,000 installations now active. This includes 400 new deployments over the past year, the latest of which are the first 5G small cells in London, trialed in Croydon.
Small cells are compact mobile masts integrated into everyday street infrastructure like phone kiosks and lampposts. This setup enhances mobile capacity in high-demand areas. Over the last year, EE has also expanded its 4G small cell network to multiple towns and cities, including Cardiff and Dundee, as well as popular tourist sites like Torbay and Cumbria.
The 5G small cells deployed in Croydon, particularly along London Road, serve a busy mix of businesses, shops, and residences. These sites handle over 3TB of traffic daily, indicating their significant usage and impact.
EE leverages advanced network analytics to pinpoint specific locations that would benefit from the enhanced performance of small cells. The deployment process involves collaboration with partners like Nokia and Ericsson, aimed at reducing congestion and boosting speeds. The 4G small cells, combining licenced 1800MHz and 2600MHz spectrum with unlicensed 5GHz spectrum, deliver speeds of up to 300Mbps. The 5G small cells, configured with licensed 1800MHz spectrum for 4G and 3.5GHz for 5G, offer speeds up to 600Mbps.
Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer, BT Group, emphasizes the importance of small cells in delivering top-notch mobile connectivity. “Small cells are an integral component within our mobile network, ensuring that even in the busiest places our customers have access to the full performance of the UK’s best network. To reach 1,000 deployments, including our first 5G sites, demonstrates our commitment to delivering unrivaled mobile connectivity to all four corners of the UK.”
Croydon’s Executive Mayor, Jason Perry, highlights the local benefits: “This is great news for Croydon – we’re delighted to be the first town in the UK to be trialling 5G small cells with EE, bringing the latest mobile connectivity to our borough. These 5G small cells will improve the network capacity in high-usage areas, giving faster download speeds for our residents, businesses and visitors.”
EE’s initiative not only enhances mobile connectivity but also demonstrates an effective use of existing infrastructure, balancing the need for performance and practicality. This deployment paves the way for more expansive and efficient mobile networks across the UK, catering to the increasing demand for faster data speeds and reliable connectivity.
