This is the latest in a range of open access agreements that Freshwave has signed with local authorities across the UK. The small cells used are also 5G ready, which will allow the new technology to be adopted more quickly, bringing further benefits to the communities.
Councillor Sunita Gordon, lead member for resources, said, “I’m pleased to see us making good progress to improve the digital connectivity within Sutton. This will be a huge boost to residents, particularly those living, working or visiting the so called ‘not-spots’ and will also be a very welcome improvement to our infrastructure for local businesses.”
Simon Frumkin, CEO of Freshwave, added, “It’s great to see Sutton Council embracing the future with the open access model. Open access ensures a level playing field for all and we welcome the competition that this brings. Competition accelerates the speed of deployment, meaning communities and organisations will see the benefits that come with improved connectivity more quickly.”
The open access approach is advocated by DCMS and aims to reduce the barriers to improving digital connectivity by speeding up the adoption of new technology. Last year, the government unveiled the Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator (DCIA), which promotes the shared use of digital infrastructure installed on council-owned street furniture.