17 May 2022 – Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG) today announces the launch of a significant new infrastructure project set to transform mobile connectivity across Birmingham. WIG has deployed its own fibre backbone across the city and partnered with Birmingham City Council to connect up tens of thousands of streetscape assets for mobile infrastructure.

WIG’s neutral host network infrastructure can support all mobile networks and has been anchored by Three UK running 5G services and creating the UK’s first large-scale 5G centralised radio access network (C-RAN) to enable super-fast speeds for all Three’s customers.

WIG’s network will also play a key role in supporting the vital testing of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) on Birmingham’s streets. WIG has developed this complex project in its role as lead communications infrastructure partner to Midlands Future Mobility – the organisation responsible for the UK’s largest real world test bed for CAVs.

WIG’s CEO Scott Coates commented:

‘We are delighted to have made this investment into Birmingham and to help the mobile operators as they seek to connect their customers with 5G in the busiest parts of the city.’

‘Our infrastructure has been developed to enable fast cycle times for any mobile operator looking to address capacity needs across the UK’s largest and most populated metropolitan borough. Our plug and play approach will remove much of the complexity normally experienced by mobile operators when deploying in urban centres’

Three UK’s Chief Network Officer Carlo Melis commented:

‘We are excited by this project which is supporting the development of the UK’s fastest 5G network in Birmingham, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.’

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• Birmingham-wide 5G C-RAN network utilising WIG-owned fibre back-bone enabling ultra-low latency capability with fibre fronthaul.
• Contiguous high speed and high capacity 4G and 5G services from Birmingham International Airport through to the city centre.
• Future-proof, multi-operator, multi-technology architecture that will support 5G in standalone and non-standalone modes.
• Long-term agreement for WIG and its customers to utilise tens of thousands of assets owned by Birmingham City Council.
• Deployment of long-term sustainable infrastructure solutions, supporting small cells and making use of existing street furniture.
• Three UK customers already benefitting from 4G and 5G delivered by the infrastructure with service throughput in excess 1Gb/s. Three’s initial deployment area includes city centre capacity hot spots together with contiguous high speed and high-capacity services across 20kms of the busiest parts of the Midlands Future Mobility testbed route.

More information at https://www.wirelessinfrastructure.co.uk/case-studies/west-midlands-5G-CRa