BT Group chief networks officer Greg McCall declared small cells to now be an integral part of consumer brand EE’s network, as the operator revealed it exceeded 1,000 active sites nationally and launched its first 5G variants in a borough of capital city London.

The company stated it has deployed 400 more small cells in the past 12 months as part of a move commenced in early 2022 to improve its 4G coverage in busy areas.

Dundee, Cardiff and the region of Cumbria are among the areas where EE deployed 4G small cells in the past 12 months.

McCall said the sites are “an integral component within our mobile network” and the 1,000-site milestone “demonstrates our commitment to delivering unrivalled” connectivity.

The company explained it uses advanced analytics to determine optimal site positioning, with Nokia and Ericsson involved in the deployments. The small cells typically offer data rates of up to 300Mb/s, though BT noted its trial of 5G versions is offering 600Mb/s.

BT stated seven 5G small cells deployed in the London Borough of Croydon as part of a trial were handling more than 3TB of data traffic per day. The sites employ licensed 1,800MHz spectrum for 4G and 3.5GHz for 5G.

Jason Perry, executive Mayor of Croydon, highlighted benefits for businesses, residents and visitors in the trial zone.

BT is, of course, not alone in exploring 5G small cells and other options to boost connectivity.

Rival 3 UK commenced its latest small cell trial earlier this year, while Virgin Media O2 is adding posts to fibre cabinets in a move it believes is unique in the nation.