The equipment, known as small cells, can be attached to assets, such as lampposts. They help increase network capacity in busy locations, improving mobile performance and delivering faster, more reliable connections for users.
Kent County Council (KCC) is working with Freshwave and O2 to bring the enhanced coverage to some of Canterbury's busiest areas, including Clocktower Square and the Whitefriars retail quarter.
This work is allowing mobile network operators to use council-owned street assets to improve digital connectivity. It also helps speed up the rollout of technologies that can improve mobile coverage.
“Improving this vital infrastructure in Canterbury will help residents, businesses and visitors stay connected.”
David Wimble, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Special Projects, said: "Reliable mobile connectivity is an essential part of modern life, and we welcome the investment from O2 and collaboration with Freshwave. Improving this vital infrastructure in Canterbury will help residents, businesses and visitors stay connected. By working with our partners to make suitable council assets available, we're helping to bring better mobile coverage and faster, more reliable connections to the places where people need them most."
Lisa Carlson, Chief Executive at Canterbury Business Improvement District, said: "Strong digital connectivity is essential for a thriving city centre. Whether people are visiting Canterbury's shops, restaurants and attractions, working remotely, or running a business, reliable mobile coverage helps them stay connected and make the most of their time in the city. We welcome this investment from Kent County Council, Freshwave and O2, which will help enhance the experience for residents, workers and visitors while supporting Canterbury's continued growth as a vibrant place to live, work and visit."
Canterbury City Council's Cabinet member for economic development, Cllr Chris Cornell, said: “Tourists and residents have for a long time complained about Canterbury being a black hole in terms of signal - it came up time and time again in last year's consultation on the town centre strategies. Reliable internet greases the wheel of industry and we welcome anything which can support our street traders to thrive and visitors to discover more about our wonderful city."
Neil Barnes, Mobile Network Operator Account Director at Freshwave, said: “We’re pleased to have collaborated with KCC and O2 to enhance connectivity for O2 customers in some of Canterbury’s busiest destinations. Working in partnership is key to delivering mobile connectivity, and these new small cells in Canterbury demonstrate how local authorities and industry can work together to improve coverage where people need it most.”
Professor Rob Joyce, Director of Mobile Access Engineering at O2, said: “Kent is home to some of the UK’s most historic and popular destinations, with Canterbury welcoming visitors throughout the year. These new small cells will help support residents, businesses and visitors in some of the busiest areas, providing O2 customers with a reliable mobile experience whether they’re exploring landmarks, enjoying local attractions, or staying connected on the go.”
