
Wireless infrastructure provider Freshwave has deployed their 4G Distributed Antenna System (DAS) across the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, which can be used by any mobile network operator (EE, O2, or Vodafone / Three UK) to help staff, patients and visitors connect to a good mobile (mobile broadband) signal.
The development is seen as supporting the government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England, which will see the NHS becoming a much more online and digital centric organisation. Having the right hospital connectivity in place to facilitate these ambitions is thus essential, but it’s not an easy thing to improve.
Hospitals typically have thick walls and complex layouts, which often block or significantly degrade exterior mobile signals from penetrating inside. This often leaves mobile devices inside to depend upon flaky in-building Wi-Fi connectivity, which can become overburdened. The new dedicated indoor multi-operator mobile system is designed to resolve such problems.
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Simon Frumkin, Freshwave’s CEO, said:
“We’re delighted to have brought another NHS hospital all-operator mobile connectivity. By bringing mobile coverage indoors, we’re ensuring that staff can access critical digital tools without interruption, patients can stay connected with their families, and hospital operations run more smoothly. Projects like this demonstrate how tailored connectivity solutions can make a real difference in healthcare, supporting better experiences for everyone on site.”
The system is already said to be live and working.
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Any ideas on who has paid for this? Is it funded by Freshwave who gets paid by the MNOs? Or is it the hospital itself in which case, they deployed it and Freshwave are just the neutral host infrastructure provider.
I’m keen to understand the model and business case here over say spending the money on upgrading and densifying the wi-fi.
My moms works here and Spusu has no signal here whatsoever. Three doesnt have any either. This has been for years. No different today.