News
The partnership is set to improve the notoriously difficult indoor connectivity problem
This week, Freshwave has announced the fruits of a partnership with infrastructure vendor CommScope, reportedly achieving a “world-first” by combining 4G connectivity from all four of the UK mobile network operators (MNOs) in a single small cell solution.
Freshwave’s Omni Network approach uses CommScope’s ONECELL technology, a small cell solution built to provide strong and reliable LTE and 5G services from multiple MNOs indoors.
Indoor connectivity remains a major challenge for mobile operators, with 4G and particularly 5G signals delivered from macrosites outside the building being severely attenuated when passing through walls and even windows. Deploying small cells within in-building, in a fashion similar to typical Wi-Fi deployments, can alleviate much of this issue.
In this case, neutral host operator Freshwave will deploy, maintain, and operate the small cells, charging customers a monthly managed service fee.
This approach, Freshwave says, requires less equipment, cabling, and installation than previous alternatives, and can reduce costs by up to 65% compared to a normal distributed antenna system (DAS). It also reportedly consumes 60% less energy than traditional DAS.
Crucially, Omni Network will allow all four UK MNOs – EE (BT), Vodafone, Three UK, and Virgin Media O2 – to provide services from the same small cell, reducing the need for overlapping deployments among the operators. This, says EE’s Director of Mobile Radio Access Networks James Hope, says “provides a clear benefit for sharing costs” in a competitive mobile market.
Though currently providing 4G connectivity, the announcement’s press release states that 5G connectivity will be brought to the solution in the next few months.
“Omni Network extends in-building mobile connectivity to a wider range of organisations than ever before thanks to our team’s technical innovation,” said Freshwave CEO Simon Frumkin.
“As the only company in the UK able to offer omni network, we’re looking forward to the benefits it will bring to our customers across the public and private sector. We’re grateful to all the UK mobile operators for their collaboration which made omni network possible,” he continued.
Join the conversation around the neutral host connectivity solution at this year’s Connected Britain, 11-12 September in London. Get tickets here!
Also in the news:
Dutch operators finally get their hands on midband 5G spectrum
Virgin Media O2 completes first stage of Shared Rural Network
Xavier Niel’s $4.1 billion bid for Millicom is too low, company says
