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Telefonica-owned U.K. mobile operator O2 has partnered with U.K.-based Wireless Infrastructure Group to bring 5G to U.K. hotels, shopping malls, sports stadiums, and conference centers. The multi-million-pound investment is designed to deliver enhanced connectivity to these busy public spaces.
“This significant investment in our network will give O2 customers an even better mobile experience in places they love to visit” explains Brendan O’Reilly, O2’s chief technology officer. “It will not only provide a more reliable service where there are large crowds of people, but it will also enable our customers to download more content and share special moments, whether a goal, a wicket or a new purchase, with their friends and family.”
Liverpool Football Club’s 54,000-capacity Anfield Stadium and London cricket ground Lord’s have already had new mobile infrastructure installed. Mobile infrastructure is also being replaced or upgraded at these shopping malls: Bentall Centre, Kingston; Bluewater, Kent; Meadowhall, Sheffield; INTU, Milton Keynes; INTU Eldon Square; INTU Metrocentre; INTU Lakeside; INTU Derby; INTU Watford; INTU Victoria; INTU Uxbridge; and The Trafford Centre, Manchester.
In conjunction with Wireless Infrastructure Group, O2 has also deployed 5G-ready mobile services at top hotels The Savoy, The Ned, The Pullman, and at London real estate developments in King’s Cross and Canary Wharf, as well as at the Leadenhall Building and the ExCel conference and exhibition center.
“The Wireless Infrastructure Group’s neutral-host infrastructure now enables mobile services in offices, shopping malls, hotels, stadiums, and other public venues that total over one billion visitors a year,” says Scott Coates, CEO of Wireless Infrastructure Group. “Neutral host infrastructure can play a vital role enabling 5G and Wireless Infrastructure Group looks forward to expanding our successful partnership with O2.”
The news of O2’s partnership with Wireless Infrastructure Group comes as O2 publishes its quarter one results for the three-month period to March 31, 2019. O2 announced that revenues are up 5.3% year-on-year and OIBDA has grown to £440 million, up 3.4% year-on-year.
O2 is still on track to switch on 5G in the UK in 2019, commencing the rollout of next-generation mobile services in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London and rolling out to other areas in 2020.
