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Arqiva and O2 partner to boost mobile connections in London

Manny Pham
April 12, 2018

14 London boroughs will be upgraded all the way up to 2020

Telecoms infrastructure firm Arqiva and O2 have today (April 12) announced plans to deploy up to 300 small cells across London to boost mobile coverage in the capital.

The rollout will be one of the biggest deployments in the UK to date for O2. All 300 small cells, provided by Arqiva, will be installed on street assets such as lampposts. The aim is to boost coverage in more data demanding areas such as transport hubs and major shopping areas.

14 London boroughs will be upgraded including: Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth, Camden and Lambeth, to name a few.

Initial sites will be live by the summer 2018, with deployment continuing up to 2020. In addition, the agreement will lay foundations for “rapid deployment for 5G connectivity” when the airwaves become available, according to O2.

Arqiva telecoms and M2M managing director David Crawford said: “New types of mobile infrastructure are now required to meet the needs of the mobile network operators and their customers. As demand for data continues to increase, the requirement for network densification will grow and use of street furniture and small cells will play a critical role in delivering the mobile networks of the future”.

O2 chief technology officer Brendan O’Reilly added: “National 5G infrastructure – when it arrives in a few years’ time – will not only have a crucial impact on our economy, it will change the way we live our lives. Our partnership with Arqiva reflects this belief and demonstrates our commitment to exploring opportunities to provide the increased capacity and denser coverage our customers deserve in the areas they need it most”.

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