BT recently announced the next step in its plans to evolve the UK’s digital infrastructure with its enhanced ‘Street Hub 2.0’ unit that introduces upgraded features such as sustainable design, environment monitoring for local authorities and the ability to boost 4G/5G mobile coverage.
Alongside newly appointed hardware supplier Trueform Digital, BT will continue to partner with Manchester based technology, software and support supplier ADXBA, and Global, the Media & Entertainment group, as its advertising partner to support the digital street units.
BT’ said it has already installed more than 400 Street Hub units to connect local residents, businesses and visitors to free ultrafast Wi-Fi, to ensuring that people can contact the emergency services or charity helplines in times of need. The new Street Hub 2.0 units will be installed alongside existing units to new sites across the UK.
Sustainable design is at the core of the new unit offering. Working with tech scale-up Everimpact via BT’s Green Tech Innovation Platform, air quality and CO2 sensors can be built into the new units.
Street Hubs connect to ultra-fast free public Wi-Fi, with an outdoor Wi-Fi access point connected directly to the fibre broadband network, bringing speeds of up to 1Gbps to users within 150m of the unit. The new Street Hub 2.0 units can also incorporate 4G and 5G small cells to help improve network coverage and capacity for local residents, local businesses and visitors to high streets.
For local businesses, the upgraded units also feature an accessible digital advertising solution run by Global, BT’s advertising partner. The advertising solution is designed to support the marketing needs of local businesses, helping them to rebuild brand awareness as Covid-19 restrictions continue to lift across the country.
James Browne, Head of Street at BT
Street Hubs form part of BT’s plan to transform the UK’s streets with a digital communications service designed for the 21st Century. I’m really excited that we’re now evolving the service even further with a newly designed ‘Street Hub 2.0’ unit which is more sustainable, while delivering free public Wi-fi services and improved 4G/5G mobile coverage to local communities.
