Broadband ISP and cellular operator EE (BT) announced that, as part of their work under the £1 billion Rural Shared Netpaintings (SRN) project, they have upgraded 139 cell tower sites across Northern Ireland and provided enhanced 4G cellular services.
The SRN is an industry-led plan (subsidised through £500 million in public investment and £532 million from operators) that aims to expand 4G (global) geographic policy to 95% of the UK by the end of 2025 (the launch of 5G will also be a benefit). Essentially, the task is to reciprocally share existing masts in some spaces and construction, defining according to demand, and in others, the exchange of new masts between operators.
The aim of the project, however, varies somewhat in other parts of the UK. For example, the 4G policy of at least one MNO is expected to be 98% successful in England, 91% in Scotland, 95% in Wales and 98%. in Northern Ireland, but that figure drops to 90% in England, 74% in Scotland, 80% in Wales and 85% in Northern Ireland if we apply the 4G policy of all MNOs combined.
For its part, EE has so far modernised more than 1,500 sites across the UK, which would make it “the only operator on track to meet its obligations under the SRN” – in light of media reports over the weekend that O2, Three UK and Vodafone will struggle to meet Ofcom’s June 2024 deadline for space policy partial ones not located (here).
According to today’s announcement, EE has in particular expanded the reach of its 4G network by modernising 139 sites in Northern Ireland as part of the SRN. The operator, in partnership with WHP Telecoms, has also built a new cellular mast to deliver enhanced 4G. policy in the northern component of the Mid-Ulster district and the eastern component of Sperrins, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This includes the villages of Moneyneany and Draperstown, Spelhoagh Mountain, as well as giant sections of the B40, A6 and Glenshane Pass, one of Northern Ireland’s mountain roads.
At the end of the SRN programme, EE aims to upgrade or build 164 sites in Northern Ireland (adding the option to create a further 10 new mast sites) so that rural communities have the fast and reliable 4G connectivity they need.
Greg McCall, head of networks at BT Group, said:
“Shared rural networks have a positive effect on the lives of others living and working in rural communities across the UK. In the U. S. , we’re building on the success of our 4G networks to deliver pervasive, reliable connectivity that rural spaces can rely on.
Northern Ireland is famous for its history and heritage, as well as its thriving tourism and agricultural industries. By strengthening 4G connectivity across the country, we are helping to bridge the virtual divide that exists between urban and rural communities and ensure that citizens and businesses will have the connectivity they want to thrive for decades to come. “
EE’s 4G network in Northern Ireland currently covers more than 88% of the country and is on track to reach 89% by the end of 2025 with these new upgrades. But, as always with U. S. press releases, they talk about giving “details. “about the 139 updated cell tower sites, but then they don’t list the sites that have been updated: anything that we and many others find useful to know.
Finally, while SRN doesn’t particularly require 5G deployment, the infrastructure they build can still be used to help it. All of this is expected to contribute to EE’s ambition to provide 5G connectivity responses across the UK until 2028. through a combination of always-on policies (90% of the UK’s land area) and on-demand responses (to take care of the last 10%).
UPDATE 2:32 p. m.
EE can’t provide us with a list of the aforementioned sites, however, we do have a regional breakdown to show, more or less, where the maximum of them are located (happy days in County Down):
A long time ago. . . Three and even O2 had 5g as of 2020
Did you know that EE tested 5G in Larne, NI about 6 months ago for a few months, but hasn’t officially introduced it yet?Now it’s gone to go back to 4G only!
Any news on the arrival of 5G in Derry? One of the largest cities in NI and it seems to be just a mast with 5G.
The radio sites themselves are not specific to any technology and can accept any “G” from 2G > 5G. What matters most of all are the antennas and the related structure of the site. The variety and configuration of the antenna determines the frequencies available, which affects the radio modules that can be installed at ground level.
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