Three UK Doubles Mobile Broadband Speeds in Glasgow via O-RAN Trial

Mobile network operator Three UK has today completed their trial of OpenRAN (O-RAN) technology in the city of Glasgow (Scotland). The test, which marks one of the UK’s first deployments of the technology in a dense urban environment, delivered “impressive results” with both 4G and 5G data speeds doubled at peak times.

The advantage of O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) technologies is that they standardise the design and functionality of radio access kit and software, thus increasing the number of companies able to supply operators via vendor-neutral hardware and software-defined technology, while also boosting interoperability and potentially cutting costs.

In this case, Three UK’s trial, which installed compact O-RAN small cells on street furniture (street lights, CCTV poles etc.), was designed to test the viability of deploying OpenRAN in a complex city setting. So far, most operators, like Vodafone, have been deploying it across more rural or suburban locations.

Part of the SCONDA project, which is backed by the government (DSIT), this trial marks a milestone for O-RAN in the UK. “It’s the first time the technology has been tested in a high-footfall urban environment, building on earlier trials which had only taken place in rural locations,” said Three UK. The operator added that both 4G and 5G speeds doubled at peak times, with 5G speeds reaching up to 520Mbps (Megabits per second).

Iain Milligan, Chief Network Officer at Three UK, said:

“This is the UK’s first Open RAN trial to tackle the real-world complexity of a dense urban environment. Urban deployments bring a different level of technical and operational challenge compared to rural environments. We’ve had to navigate integration with legacy systems, security layers, and evolving software – all while delivering measurable improvements for customers. The trial results are encouraging and provide a strong foundation for further scaling and optimisation of Open RAN in cities.”

Following the successful trial of 18 live sites in Glasgow, the project will now move into its final deployment phase — expanding to a total of 34 Open RAN small cell sites across the city centre.