Freshwave and Clear Channel UK, in collaboration with Virgin Media O2, have introduced 4G connected bus shelters in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Clear Channel UK is an Out of Home media and infrastructure company, operating around 33,000 advertising displays nationwide, while Freshwave is a connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider.

Busy areas such as High Streets place greater demand on networks as more people are trying to use the mobile signal from the same microcell, said the companies.

Outdoor small cells can help increase access to top speeds and capacity in the area around them.

Small cell technology from any infrastructure-as-a-service provider can be installed anywhere there is a Clear Channel bus shelter.

According to the partnership, bus shelters provide a robust structure and "excellent capacity" to carry the technology.

“Smart cities and towns need new approaches to digital connectivity,” said Simon Frumkin, chief executive, Freshwave. “And the more existing street assets that can be used to bring this to our towns, the better it is for both the mobile network operators and the customers and communities they serve. This is why we’re already working on a multi-operator, multi-technology design for bus shelter use too.”

The 5G-ready technology will be introduced to further bus shelters in the borough over the next few months.

"This industry-first achievement provides us with new options when it comes to our continual network improvements and we’re looking forward to adding the technology to further sites,” said Pete Hollebon, radio network engineering, outdoor small cell and microcell delivery lead at Virgin Media O2.

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