Getting connectivity when you’re in a rural area is a challenge. My weekend of train journeys only served to highlight the fact that beautiful countryside usually means a complete lack of signal.
EE are to tackle this with a new idea that doesn’t require cabling, planning permission or a fixed broadband link. It can also be installed very quickly.
Three or four small antennas are enough to cover half a square mile, or 100-150 homes and businesses. The antennas connect wirelessly to a “macro” site to boost coverage.
More than 1,500 rural communities will be hooked up by the end of 2017.
A trial has just been completed in the Cumbria village of Sebergham. With just three small antennas all 129 households and small businesses in the village began receiving data and voice connectivity.
Full deployment will begin at the start of 2015. You may remember our earlier story where Vodafone also solved the rural not-spot issue, however this relied on larger versions of their Sure Signal system, which connects to a broadband link to access the network.
Basically what the EE system does is pick up a feed from the edge of the existing coverage and then it relays this to smaller repeaters within the rural town or village being covered.
GROUNDBREAKING NEW EE MICRO NETWORK SET TO BENEFIT RURAL COMMUNITIES
· EE set to connect more than 1,500 communities by the end of 2017
· World-first technology successfully trialled in Cumbria village of Sebergham, with all 129 households and small businesses receiving data and voice connectivity from only three ‘meshed’ small antennas
· New EE micro network changes the economics of mobile coverage by removing the requirement to build large masts and install sub-ground cables
2nd December 2014 – EE, the UK’s largest mobile network operator, is today committing to connect more than 1,500 rural communities within three years by investing in a unique micro network technology that provides coverage to remote areas with no need for broadband or cables.
Starting in early 2015, EE will be making voice services, as well as 3G and 4G mobile data coverage available in communities that currently don’t have reliable mobile or high speed broadband. These areas have remained unconnected by traditional approaches to network deployment that have relied on building large masts.
To cover these communities, EE will build new micro networks that wirelessly connect small mobile antennas to a suitable nearby macro site, without the need for cabling, dramatically improving the economics of connecting hard to reach areas.
The first community to be connected through trials of the new micro network technology is the small village of Sebergham, in Cumbria. Sebergham has 129 dwellings and 347 residents, and sits in a deep valley.
Cumbria County Councillor, Duncan Fairbairn, said:
“The mobile service here is either non-existent or spasmodic at best. And the broadband is incredibly slow and very unreliable. In rural communities like Sebergham, being connected to good, reliable mobile coverage can make a significant difference to everyday life and we need fast broadband. We’re delighted to be the first community in the UK to benefit from this EE initiative, and there are more villages in my parish that I know will benefit hugely from this, and they’re excited to be connected next.”
More efficient
Unlike rival products, the EE rural micro network solution does not need any fixed broadband to connect into the wider network, meaning it can be deployed in more remote areas.
The micro network can connect communities of around 100-150 homes and businesses, across an area of 0.5 square miles with just three or four small antennas. An antenna can be installed on to any building in just a few hours, and planning applications are not required.
The unique, low impact solution is based on technology designed by Parallel Wireless, and will be in full deployment in early 2015.
Rural areas can now be covered at lower cost by using smaller mobile sites that communicate with each other to spread coverage and capacity, and using wireless technology instead of cables to connect into the main EE network.
While wider geographical coverage improvements still require continued investment in the traditional macro network, this new technology enables more targeted voice and data coverage for small communities, at a lower cost of deployment.
EE CEO Olaf Swantee said:
“With this innovative new technology, we have the capability to connect every community in the UK, and we estimate that we’ll be able to bring reliable voice coverage and high speed mobile broadband to more than 1,500 places for the first time by 2017.
“We’ve been working closely with Government on the long-term ambition to bring voice coverage to more of the UK, and we believe that this world-first technology will demonstrate significant advancements against that vision.”
Areas across the UK are being analysed now for connectivity, and the first deployments will be started in early 2015.
In reports from Ofcom, EE has recently been named best for rural call quality and reliability, and best for 4G and 3G speeds and coverage.
For more information, please visit ee.co.uk.
