• Swindon & Wiltshire Tech
• Thursday September 12 2024
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Reading town centre to get 4G mobile reception boost

Mobile phone users in Reading can expect a connectivity boost following the rollout of ‘small cell’ 4G transmitters to the busiest areas of the town, including the railway station, Reading College, and Oracle shopping centre.

Virgin Media O2 has partnered with wireless infrastructure firm Ontix on the project. The two companies have previously collaborated on deployments in London in Birmingham.

Small cells continue to bring value as a cost-effective solution to improving network capacity in dense urban environments, commercial centres and visitor hotspots.

With over 20 million people passing through Reading Station and over a million through the Oracle Shopping Centre each year, the small cells will provide a crucial boost to network capacity for these high-footfall areas, helping both residents and visitors.

Richard Williams, director of acquisition at Ontix, said: “We’re proud to be the first Neutral Host company bringing small cells to Reading.

“Working closely with Virgin Media O2, we ensured the delivery of this project was speedy, cost-effective and power-efficient.

“From local businesses, commuters and university students to shoppers and tourists seeking cultural hotspots, small cells provide faster network speeds and reduced network congestion for all, and we’re excited to see the results of this across Reading.”

Steven Verigotta, director of radio & mobile backhaul delivery at Virgin Media O2, said: “Small cells are an effective way of increasing local network bandwidth in busy areas and play an important role in allowing us to keep up with customer demand.”

“With upgrade programmes underway right across our network, we’re working hard to ensure our customers consistently receive an exceptional network experience wherever they are and even at the busiest times.”

In 2022 Vodafone installed 4G units on phone boxes in Reading.