Virgin Media O2 boasts small cell advantage in London

Virgin Media O2 is bragging about its small cell rollout across London, saying it’s the largest of any major operator.

The deployment, which supports both 4G and 5G, is helping the company to accelerate its 5G rollout in a more environmentally friendly way while boosting capacity where it’s needed most, according to Virgin Media O2.

The operator has deployed more than 1,300 live small cell sites across London. Sites typically have a range of 80-120 meters and installation requires minimal disruptions, according to O2. Installations usually can be done within six weeks of the sites being acquired.  

Virgin Media O2 said that around 20% of network traffic flows through small cells rather than the macro layer, indicating how valuable they are in easing congestion. The cells use licensed 1800 MHz spectrum, with some trial locations using 2.6 GHz.

Virgin Media O2 isn’t the only carrier with big aspirations for small cells in the U.K. Earlier this year, BT’s mobile operator EE announced that it had deployed 200 new small cells across its U.K. network, allowing customers to benefit from download speeds up to 300 Mbps. Nokia provided the gear at launch, but a BT spokesperson told Fierce that it will also be working with other vendors to supply additional small cells.

Bus shelter sites

One of the innovations that Virgin Media O2 flagged in its press release is a small cell solution that can be deployed within bus shelters, of which there are 10,000 in London alone. Conducted in partnership with infrastructure company Freshwave, trials of the technology involve new small cells connected to the fiber within bus shelters, which are also 5G ready. The antenna on the rooftop is designed for multiple operators to use, so they expect there to be a demand on a wholesale basis.

A similar Virgin Media O2 trial involves a new payphone deployment across sites in Westminster with Cellnex UK. The company said its architects also are working with city planners to implement cells as new buildings are constructed.

“Building a 5G network is a complex job, so we are constantly looking at ways to create efficiencies via collaboration with partners that will ultimately benefit our customers,” said Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, in a statement. “Technologies such as small cells help us increase network bandwidth, which allows us to keep up with customer demand, with data traffic levels increasing 34% year on year.” 

The company plans to expand its network outside London, with a number of pilots in production across the U.K., and it’s already working to deploy small cells to support the Commonwealth Games this summer.