Boldyn Networks (Boldyn) and EE have announced the first deployment in their partnership to boost mobile network capacity across London’s busiest high streets.
Small, low powered cellular radio units known as “small cells”[2] are being installed at street level to enhance mobile coverage and capacity.
Powered by brand new gigabit fibre, the first small cell unit of the project is now live near one of the UK’s busiest stations, Kings Cross. With nearly 70 million annual passengers relying on this transport hub, this can place significant demand on the surrounding mobile networks.
Boldyn and EE are installing a network of small cells in the Kings Cross and Euston area to boost mobile network capacity and will expand this over the next two years to cover high footfall areas across the capital, including Southwark and Westminster.
The small cell units can bring up to 10 times faster download speeds in high demand areas, achieving download speeds of up to 300Mbps.
The project builds on Boldyn and TfL’s 20-year concession agreement, which is bringing mobile connectivity to the underground sections of the Tube, Elizabeth line and DLR. It will use existing TfL assets such as fibre ducts, lighting columns and bus shelters to host the small cell units.
With the majority of the fibre ducts needed for the project already in place, use of materials such as plastic will be significantly reduced and the roll out will create less disruption, a lower environmental impact and reduced carbon emissions.
The partnership with Boldyn complements EE’s broader nationwide small cells deployment, which has so far seen the UK’s best mobile network[3] roll-out over 700 such installations in towns and cities across the UK.
It also forms part of the wider Mayor of London’s Connected London programme, to improve digital connectivity across London boroughs and build the foundations for smart city applications.
Paul Osborne, Chief Commercial Officer, UK & Ireland at Boldyn Networks
We are excited to announce this first step with EE to boost mobile network capacity and performance for EE’s customers in some of the busiest high street locations across the capital. This perfectly complements our work bringing 4G/5G to the London Underground and Elizabeth line, ensuring millions of people travelling through London to live, work and play have good high speed mobile connectivity both above and below ground.
James Hope, Director of Mobile Radio Access Networks, EE
We’re delighted to partner with Boldyn Networks to boost mobile performance for customers in London’s thriving King’s Cross area. Small cells are essential in delivering high-capacity, superfast mobile connectivity to areas where it’s impractical to build larger sites, and by making use of TfL’s existing street infrastructure, we’re able to deploy with minimal disruption even in such a dense, urban environment.
Theo Blackwell, Chief Digital Officer at the GLA
This is great news for EE mobile customers who will benefit from faster mobile network connectivity in bustling areas of the capital. This, coupled with bringing 4G and 5G network access to the London Underground, is all part of our ongoing work to build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.
