- O2 customers in Tonbridge can now benefit from improved mobile connectivity following the activation of five outdoor small cells
- The new 4G and 5G small cells provide additional network capacity across Tonbridge town centre
- Freshwave deployed the small cells on behalf of O2 in collaboration with Kent County Council
- Tom Tugendhat MP welcomes the investment, which will help residents, businesses and visitors stay connected
Residents, businesses and visitors in Tonbridge are set to benefit from improved mobile connectivity following the activation of five outdoor small cells across the town centre.
The new small cells, delivered by Freshwave on behalf of O2, provide additional 4G and 5G capacity in some of Tonbridge’s busiest locations, helping customers stay connected and enjoy a more reliable mobile experience.
Outdoor small cells are a discreet form of mobile infrastructure that can be attached to existing street assets such as lampposts. They help strengthen network capacity in areas where demand is highest, ensuring customers can access the services they rely on throughout the day.
The project marks the completion of a significant upgrade to mobile infrastructure in Tonbridge and follows close collaboration between O2, Freshwave, Kent County Council and local MP Tom Tugendhat, who has been a strong advocate for improving mobile connectivity across the area.
Tom Tugendhat MP, Member of Parliament for Tonbridge, Edenbridge and North Downs Villages, said: “We are all too familiar with how frustrating not being able to access phone signal and internet can be, and the impact an inefficient and unreliable signal has in Tonbridge town centre. People expect their mobile connection to work wherever they are.
“I’m delighted this is changing, starting with the new small cells now live in Tonbridge. This investment will help improve connectivity across our town centre and demonstrates what can be achieved when local partners work together to deliver the infrastructure communities need.”
Professor Rob Joyce, Director of Mobile Access Engineering at O2, said: “Mobile data usage continues to grow year after year, making it increasingly important that we invest in infrastructure which can keep pace with customer demand.
“These new small cells will provide additional capacity in some of Tonbridge’s busiest locations, helping residents, businesses and visitors stay connected. We are grateful for the support of Tom Tugendhat MP and our local partners in helping make this deployment possible.”
David Wimble, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Special Projects, said: “This project is a great example of how we can be creative and deliver new benefits for residents. By using streetlights to host mobile technology, we have been able to support improved digital connectivity in Tonbridge without the need for significant new infrastructure in the town centre. It has been great to work with O2 and Freshwave on this project which will help strengthen mobile coverage and network capacity for everyone in the area when they need it the most.”
Neil Barnes, Mobile Network Operator Account Director at Freshwave, said: “We’re pleased to have worked with O2 and local stakeholders to deliver these new small cells in Tonbridge. By deploying infrastructure where it’s needed most, we can help provide better mobile experiences while supporting the growing connectivity needs of local communities.”
The deployment forms part of Virgin Media O2’s wider Mobile Transformation Plan across the UK, with small cells playing an increasingly important role in boosting mobile capacity in busy towns and city centres.
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