Facing the challenges of an increasingly competitive market where service quality is a key differentiator, EE announced in March 2022 that it would roll out 200 new 4G small cells across its UK network to boost capacity in high demand areas. And in the next phase of its strategy, the BT Group-owned British mobile provider is now rolling out more than 1,000 small cells across the UK, recording 400 new deployments in the past 12 months, including its first 5G site, recently installed in Croydon, London.
Small cells consist of small mobile masts designed to improve performance in areas of high demand, and their size makes them easy to install in everyday street infrastructure – including the UK’s iconic red phone kiosks and digital street hubs, as well as lampposts and other fixtures.
As part of its rollout strategy, EE says it is using “advanced” network analytics to identify specific locations that would benefit from the performance boost delivered by small cells, and then working with partners Nokia and Ericsson to roll out the service itself. The result will be reduced congestion and customers enjoying speeds of up to 300Mbps on 4G cells and 600Mbps on 5G.
Over the past year, EE has expanded its 4G small cell estates across towns and cities including Cardiff, Dundee, Luton, Norwich and Stoke-on-Trent, and has continually improved capacity in summer hotspots such as Torbay and Cumbria.
EE claims it is the only company in Europe to combine licensed 1800MHz and 2600MHz spectrum with unlicensed 5GHz spectrum for 4G small cells, claiming this will deliver “superior” capacity and speeds.
Croydon’s 5G cell consists of the 1800MHz band licensed for 4G and the 3.5GHz band licensed for 5G. A 5G small cell is also currently live as part of trials taking place in the London borough of Croydon.
Seven sites, including four on Croydon’s London Road, a thoroughfare lined with businesses, shops and homes, currently support local communities and handle more than three terabytes of traffic every day.
Commenting on the deployment, Greg McCall, BT Group Chief Network Officer, said: “Small cells are an essential part of our mobile network, ensuring customers can enjoy the full performance of the UK’s best network, even in the most congested places. Reaching 1,000 deployments, including our first 5G site, demonstrates our commitment to providing unrivalled mobile connectivity across the UK.”
Croydon’s Executive Mayor Jason Perry added: “This is fantastic news for Croydon and we’re delighted to be the first in the UK to trial 5G small cells with EE, bringing the latest mobile connectivity to the borough. The 5G small cells will improve network capacity in high-use areas, improving download speeds for residents, businesses and visitors.”
