Radio Equipment to be Attached to Street Furniture in Flintshire to Improve Mobile Phone Signal
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RADIO equipment could be attached to street furniture in Flintshire such as lampposts in a bid to improve mobile phone signal.
It follows figures being published which show only 22 per cent of properties in the county are able to receive 5G coverage from at least one mobile operator.
It compares poorly to the rate of 74 per cent for Wales and 85 per cent for the UK as a whole.
Flintshire Council is now working with a company called Freshwave Facilities Limited to make it easier for operators to use council-owned assets to boost connectivity.
It would see cell equipment attached to street furniture where power and data connections are available to encourage operators to invest in local infrastructure.
Discussions between the two parties are currently in advanced stages to reach what is known as an “open access agreement”.
In a report going to councillors next week, Flintshire’s chief officer for planning said improvements were required as mobile infrastructure in the county had failed to keep pace with demand.
Andrew Farrow said: “Connectivity has grown in importance over recent years to enable social interaction, access to information and services, education, and employment whether from home or in other locations.
“Despite this, mobile connectivity remains poor in many areas of the county.
“UK Government is encouraging local government to use open access agreements to make it easier for the mobile network operators to invest in improved connectivity through the use of the council’s street furniture assets.
“This report proposes the development of open access agreements in Flintshire with the first one to be signed with Freshwave Facilities Limited and others to follow.”
Mobile operators are increasingly investing in small cell infrastructure to fill gaps in their networks.
This is because the technology is reported to be cheaper to install and can be used in busy locations to provide extra capacity.
Mr Farrow said similar arrangements had been agreed in other parts of North Wales.
He said: “The presence of open access agreements in a county sends a clear message to mobile network operators that the area is one in which investment will be cost and time effective and can increase the chances of that area being prioritised for investment over others.
“Ambition North Wales, as part of its programme to improve digital connectivity across the region, is encouraging and supporting local authorities to develop open access agreements with a range of companies.
“Wrexham County Borough Council has already done so and they are under development in all of the other counties.”
The agreement with Freshwave is mainly focused on the use of street furniture, but could be amended to include other council-owned infrastructure if needed.
The report will be considered by members of the council’s environment and economy scrutiny committee at a meeting on Tuesday (July 16, 2024).
By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter
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