The city of Aberdeen paves the way for 5G

The city of Aberdeen paves the way for 5G thanks to Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG), founding partner of Iberia Small Cell Network, along with Axión.

WIG and O2 have partnered to launch the first network of small cells connected to fiber in the UK, which supports C-RAN technology for faster and higher capacity mobile services. WIG also announces plans to expand significantly its operations with fiber focused on mobile networks.

This new wireless infrastructure uses a network of small cells attached to lamp-posts and traffic lights across Aberdeen city center, which at the same time are connected to a nearby hub using the fiber links, recently built by WIG, which enable new models of network of faster and higher capacity mobile services. The infrastructure was designed, deployed and funded by WIG and it is built to support all mobile operators as well as other wireless networks.

O2 is the first mobile operator to launch its services using the infrastructure and has played a key role in its development, deploying C-RAN technology, new in the UK. O2 will initially run advanced 4G services. The fiber-connected small cells pave the way for 5G by enabling even faster speeds, lower latency and a better coordination between cells than the traditional network method, something essential for the progress of future applications such as driverless vehicles.

The first wave of small cell deployment has been carried out in key parts of the city of Aberdeen, in busy public venues such as the central railway station, Aberdeen University and Aberdeen FC’s stadium. The network is expected to be extended across the rest of the city in the next years.

Aberdeen City Council focused its concession model on unlocking investment in infrastructure which would be good for the city in the future, and WIG was selected as its wireless infrastructure partner following a competitive tender process. WIG expects to invest more than £10 in new fiber and infrastructure in Aberdeen.

Following its appointment, WIG has worked closely with different departments in Aberdeen City Council: planning, traffic, legal, intelligent transport systems and street-lighting to ensure a streamlined set of processes for deployment and operation of small cells.

WIG’s infrastructure solution is based on a significant deployment of fiber with each lamp-post or traffic light being connected to multiple dark fibers. This investment enables new types of mobile architecture to be deployed including centralized RAN (C-RAN). C-RAN is new in the UK but it is being extensively deployed in other markets such as United States. It allows a more efficient use a better coordination of network resources leading to lower latency and faster speeds for end user devices. With multiple fibers to every node, WIG’s infrastructure is ready for 5G.

Definitely, provide high speed for mobile services to Aberdeen is an ambitious program of work to provide Aberdeen with business development platforms and first level infrastructure to secure the long term vitality of its economy. As part of this program, Wireless Concession with Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG) has been essential.