Following a new pact between Freshwave and Manchester City Council, residents, visitors, and businesses in the centre of Manchester and the surrounding districts will soon benefit from improved mobile connectivity from Virgin Media O2.
Connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider Freshwave is set to install over 20 outdoor small cells for Virgin Media O2 in bustling parts of the city, such as outside the Arndale Shopping Centre, Manchester Piccadilly Station, and Piccadilly Gardens.
In densely populated urban centres, the sheer volume of individuals using their mobiles simultaneously can exert immense pressure on the mobile network. Outdoor small cells are designed to address this demand at the street level, easing the load on the broader network and enhancing the mobile service for users.
Typically attached to existing urban fixtures like lampposts, outdoor small cells augment mobile capacity in crowded locales without adding to street-level clutter. They will link to Virgin Media O2’s fibre network, facilitating data transfer to and from the internet. These small cells will boost the 4G signal and are primed for 5G.
Manchester City Council Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar said everyone in Manchester was entitled to high-quality, dependable digital infrastructure. The City was delighted to collaborate with Freshwave and Virgin Media O2 to extend convenient, equitable connectivity to more of our city’s inhabitants. W
“We view this agreement as a pivotal move towards realising the objectives delineated in our Digital Strategy for 2021-26, which presents our bold blueprint for fostering a digitally progressive future for Manchester. By improving communication, enhancing access to essential services, and stimulating economic advancement, better connectivity is poised to revolutionise the lives of businesses, residents, and visitors alike.”
Virgin Media O2 Mobile Delivery Director Steven Verigotta said small cells amplify users’ capacity in some of the most congested spots.
“With comprehensive upgrade initiatives in progress throughout our network, we are diligently working to guarantee that our customers enjoy a consistently outstanding experience, even during peak periods.”
Freshwave Head of Partnerships Nick Wiggin said the pact marks a thrilling advancement in Manchester’s digital aspirations.
“Freshwave takes pride in collaborating with partners to ensure reliable connectivity wherever it’s most needed,” he said.
