Small antennas known as 'mini masts' have been installed across Leicester to boost 4G data coverage. Mobile network operator EE has deployed the small units in some of the city's busiest areas.
The 'mini masts' have been fitted onto existing street furniture such as lampposts, CCTV comments and phone boxes. They are designed to help improve street-level mobile coverage in areas where larger mobile masts cannot be fitted.
It means customers can access download speeds of up to 300Mbps in some busy city areas. Some small cells have also been fitted onto existing BT 'street hubs' that you might have seen dotted around the city centre.
James Hope, Director of Mobile Radio Access Networks, EE: “As demand for data continues to rise, small cells are becoming an increasingly integral part of our mobile network. Our partnership with Nokia ensures customers continue to benefit from our fastest 4G speeds even at the busiest times and in the most congested of locations, and we’re proud to pass another milestone in this project as we continue to invest in improving the UK’s best mobile network* up and down the country.”
More small cells will be deployed in the coming months across new and existing towns and cities. EE is also trialling the extension of small cells to accommodate its 5G network.
Source: https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicester-4g-boost-mobile-mini-8510152