Arqiva to Stick WiFi and 4G Cells on Lampposts in London’s Waltham Forest

Wireless UK infrastructure firm Arqiva has today signed their 14th concession agreement in London, which will give them access to install their 4G / 5G Mobile Small Cells and WiFi access points on up to 16,000 lampposts in the Borough of Waltham Forest for the next 10 years.

The company already holds similar contracts for other parts of London including Barnet, Brent, Camden, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Kingston-Upon-Thames and Wandsworth.

Small cells are units that are often installed onto street furniture and the sides or insides of buildings in order to boost mobile capacity in areas where demand is high or existing coverage is poor.

Nicolas Ott, Arqiva’s Managing Director of Telecoms, said:

“As data and voice usage increases exponentially, it is fast becoming essential for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to deliver sufficient outdoor connectivity for their customers in dense urban areas.

Arqiva’s portfolio of communications sites means we are uniquely able to help the MNOs deliver the required coverage and capacity, whether it is towers and rooftops for macro sites, or street furniture for small cells.

Street furniture such as lampposts has a crucial role to play in providing 4G signal to densely populated areas now, and preparing for 5G. We can see the arrival of 5G connectivity on the horizon and density of infrastructure is crucial to its delivery. This is particularly true for the future delivery of 5G Fixed Wireless Access broadband to homes.

Local authorities are recognising how important connectivity is for their residents and business and we are excited to be working with Waltham Forest as our 14th London Borough partner.”

Cllr Liaquat Ali MBE, Waltham Forest Council, said:

“I’m really pleased to welcome Arqiva to Waltham Forest as we help our residents move toward a digital future. We use digital technology more every day to carry out jobs from ordering shopping and services, to keeping in touch with friends and relatives, to accessing council services. To do this we need fast online access – and that is precisely what this agreement brings for residents and visitors.

Installing cell units into street furniture is an innovative and forward-thinking idea that shows we in Waltham Forest are committed to improving our digital offer for all to enjoy. We are glad to be able to draw on Arqiva’s expertise and experience bringing high-speed internet access to the streets of other London boroughs.”

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