Showing posts with label Company Boldyn Networks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Company Boldyn Networks. Show all posts

Tuesday, 25 August 2026

Rome 5G Shows How Neutral Host Infrastructure Can Modernise a Historic City

Deploying better mobile connectivity in a modern city is rarely straightforward. Doing it in Rome, where much of the historic centre is protected and almost every street seems to contain something of archaeological or architectural significance, takes the challenge to another level.

This makes the Roma 5G project particularly interesting from a telecoms infrastructure perspective. Rather than relying simply on more conventional macro sites, the project combines neutral host infrastructure, small cells, fibre, Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), Wi-Fi and IoT infrastructure to improve connectivity while minimising the impact on the city itself.

The project was originally led by Boldyn Networks through a 25-year public-private partnership with Roma Capitale. The original plan included more than 2,200 small cells, public Wi-Fi across 100 squares, around 1,800 IoT modules, 2,000 connected cameras and extensive mobile coverage across the Rome Metro.

One of the biggest challenges is obvious when walking around central Rome. Large towers and conspicuous new infrastructure are simply not suitable in many areas. The Boldyn case study explains that existing urban infrastructure, including lamp posts and bus shelters, could instead be used as mounting locations for small cells. This allows capacity to be placed closer to users while keeping the radio equipment relatively unobtrusive.

This is an increasingly important aspect of mobile network densification. In very busy locations, improving capacity is not necessarily about building another large macro site. A layer of smaller radio nodes, supported by fibre and integrated with existing street furniture, can provide capacity exactly where it is required.

Rome provides an unusually demanding example of this approach because infrastructure deployment also has to coexist with archaeological restrictions, visual-impact requirements and huge numbers of residents and visitors.

The project goes beyond outdoor small cells. The Metro is another major part of the connectivity problem.

The original project envisaged 4G and 5G coverage through the stations and tunnels, creating a shared infrastructure that could be used by the mobile operators. The network uses a multi-operator Distributed Antenna System, with fibre and radio infrastructure carrying the operators' services through the underground environment.

This is important because neutral host infrastructure avoids every operator having to independently install essentially the same physical infrastructure. A shared fibre, DAS and antenna layer can support multiple operators while reducing duplication, construction work, cost and disruption.

The same principle applies above ground. The infrastructure is designed to be open to mobile network operators rather than acting as another competing mobile network. Neutral hosting effectively separates ownership of much of the physical connectivity infrastructure from the retail mobile services running over it.

This is arguably one of the most interesting lessons from Roma 5G.

As networks become denser, particularly in city centres, transport systems, stadiums, airports and other high-footfall locations, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify every operator installing a completely separate set of infrastructure. Shared infrastructure can provide a more practical way of achieving the required density.

The project has evolved considerably since Boldyn published its original case study.

In October 2024, INWIT acquired a controlling 52.08% stake in Smart City Roma, the project company originally known as Boldyn Networks Smart City Roma. Boldyn remained involved in the infrastructure build-out, while Smart City Roma became part of the INWIT Group.

Deployment has also moved from plans into operational infrastructure.

In April 2025, the first nine Metro A stations were activated with multi-operator 4G and 5G coverage, including connectivity through the tunnels between the stations. The infrastructure supports Fastweb-Vodafone, Iliad, TIM and WINDTRE.

By September 2025, coverage had been completed across all 27 stations and tunnels on Metro Line A, using more than 85 km of fibre and around 1,500 mini-antennas. At the same time the city was progressively activating Wi-Fi 6, cameras and other smart-city infrastructure across Rome's public squares.

The rollout has continued during 2026. INWIT reported that by the end of June, work had been completed across Lines B and B1, reaching 48 Metro stations overall, while deployment was under way at seven stations on Line C.

The outdoor network has also continued expanding. By March 2026, infrastructure including public Wi-Fi, IoT systems, cameras and small cells had reached 92 squares, and INWIT subsequently reported free Wi-Fi connectivity across 100 Rome squares during summer 2026.

There is an important distinction here between connectivity infrastructure and smart-city applications.

The network does not automatically make Rome a smart city. What it provides is the digital foundation on which applications can be built. The original plan included connected cameras, environmental sensors and other IoT systems, potentially supporting areas such as traffic management, public safety, environmental monitoring and waste management.

The diagram in the Boldyn case study provides a good summary of this layered approach. It combines indoor coverage for buildings, street-level sensors and cameras, outdoor small-cell coverage, Wi-Fi 6 in public squares, fibre connectivity and 4G/5G DAS throughout the Metro.

The result is therefore much more than a conventional mobile-network rollout.

It is effectively a shared digital infrastructure layer for the city, with different access technologies being used depending on the requirement: macro mobile where appropriate, small cells for street-level capacity, DAS underground, Wi-Fi for public access, fibre for transport and backhaul, and IoT connectivity for municipal applications.

The recently released Threads of Connectivity documentary, featured on National Geographic's digital platforms, looks at the challenge of bringing modern connectivity into two cities whose infrastructure was built long before anyone imagined mobile networks: Rome and New York. The Rome segment is particularly interesting because much of the successful infrastructure is deliberately designed not to be noticed.

That may ultimately be one of the most important lessons from Roma 5G.

As mobile networks continue to densify, the infrastructure supporting them may increasingly need to disappear into the environment rather than dominate it. Small cells integrated into street furniture, shared fibre, multi-operator DAS and neutral-host models make it possible to add significant network capacity while reducing duplication and visual impact.

Rome may be an extreme example because of its history and architecture, but the underlying problem is common to cities everywhere.

The future of urban mobile infrastructure may therefore be less about building more obvious mobile sites and more about creating a dense, shared and largely invisible connectivity layer woven into the city itself.

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Friday, 27 May 2022

London Underground Mobile Network Infrastructure

Earlier we made a tutorial on Infrastructure required for bringing connectivity to underground rail network. So it was good to see Nick Hudson, Director of Global Partners & Programmes at BAI Communications share some pictures of Mobile Network Infrastructure on London Underground network on his LinkedIn post.


Back in June 2021, BAI Communications (BAI) was awarded a 20-year concession by Transport for London (TfL) to deliver high-speed mobile connectivity across the capital in the most advanced and largest infrastructure project of its type in the world. The press release said:

BAI’s partnership with TfL will establish a long-awaited backbone of connectivity with a city-wide integrated communications network delivering multi-carrier cellular, Wi-Fi, and fibre connectivity services. The 4G-enabled and 5G-ready communications network that BAI will build and operate as a neutral host for fixed and mobile operators will fast-track London’s evolution as a smart city. BAI will also help to create a safer, smarter London by building and operating critical communications infrastructure that will support police, fire, and ambulance services.

The first phase of the project will see the rollout of modern multi-carrier infrastructure. This will allow fixed and mobile operators to immediately provide continuous 4G coverage to their customers across the London Underground stations and tunnels. The new wireless infrastructure will also be 5G ready. Work on the project will begin immediately, with all stations and tunnels due to have mobile coverage in four years.

Additionally, a new high-capacity fibre network running throughout the London Underground will enable fibre service providers to provide full fibre connectivity to premises across the city. The network will connect to buildings and street assets housing small cells to leverage the power of 5G and the IoT, and deliver improvements in areas like traffic congestion, public safety, and city planning.

Through this concession, BAI will help the transport authority support London’s post-covid recovery as travel resumes, delivering seamless 5G ready connectivity that will enable people to move around the city more efficiently, safely, and securely. More specifically, this project will enable TfL to reduce overcrowding and manage station flow, while improving safety with real-time information and reliable ‘from anywhere’ communications.

BAI was awarded the concession after a competitive tender process. The company has proven experience deploying mission critical communications networks in highly dense urban environments, including the underground rail networks in New York, Toronto, and Hong Kong. This project supports BAI’s strategic intent to sustainably accelerate growth globally. This is achieved through our work deploying outdoor neutral host infrastructure and developing 5G-driven offerings that introduce and scale connectivity solutions for emerging services and fresh revenue opportunities. Ultimately, our work supports our customers by delivering better connectivity and enhanced customer experiences. BAI’s ambitious plans include expanding its wireless infrastructure business across the public transport sector and growing its private network services portfolio.

Last month, BAI announced that they have completed the first milestone of its rollout of high-speed mobile coverage across the London Underground as it launches a permanent 4G service on the eastern section of the Jubilee Line. The press release said:

Customers of Three and EE are the first to be confirmed to have permanent access to 4G and 5G-ready communications between Westminster and Canning Town. The connectivity has been available as part of a pilot service since March 2020. This follows agreements made last year by both mobile operators to join BAI’s network, making them the first to cement their commitment to providing coverage to London Underground passengers.

Whilst on this section of the Jubilee Line, customers will continue to be able to check the latest travel information, keep on top of their emails, catch up on social media, live stream videos wherever they are on the Underground.

Cities all over the world are improving connectivity for subways and metros. With London already a centre of mobile connectivity, it's surprising that getting coverage in the Tube took so long.

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Monday, 31 January 2022

Crown Castle bringing more Small Cells to the USA

Crown Castle owns, operates and leases more than 40,000 cell towers and approximately 80,000 route miles of fiber supporting small cells and fiber solutions across every major U.S. market.

Earlier this month, T-Mobile US, Inc. and Crown Castle announced that the companies have signed a new 12-year agreement to support the continued build-out of T-Mobile's nationwide 5G network with increased access to Crown Castle's towers and small cell locations. The agreement enables the Un-carrier to further expand and deepen the reach of its industry-leading 5G network to serve consumers across the U.S. while also realizing financial synergies following its merger. The agreement also helps Crown Castle generate long-term tower and small cell revenue growth.

An RCR Wireless News article said:

Crown Castle secured commitments for over 50,000 new small cell nodes during the last twelve months, which equates to approximately 70% of the total small cells the booked in its history prior to 2021, the company’s CEO Jay Brown said in a release.

“As a result, we now have approximately 55,000 small cell nodes on-air and more than 60,000 committed or under construction in our backlog. Our customers are already planning for the next phase of the 5G buildout that will require small cells at scale, and this inflection in our small cells business reflects how well-positioned we are to support their wireless network needs for years to come, with our more than 80,000 route miles of fiber concentrated in the top U.S. markets,” the executive said.

“I believe 2022 will be an important transition year for our small cells and fiber business, as we prepare to accelerate our deployment of small cells from approximately 5,000 this year to what we expect will be more than 10,000 per year starting in 2023,” Brown added.

A Light Reading article from last year talked about a new report from Altman Solon. 

Altman Solon said it derived its findings from a database it constructed of small cells across more than 70 US markets. "Leveraging analysis of this database and augmenting with other primary and secondary research and our deep experience and knowledge base in the space for all small cell ecosystem players, Altman Solon has developed preliminary critical insights about the competitive landscape in the US small cell market," the firm boasted.

Among its findings:

  • "Small cell growth has been much slower historically than what industry reports have projected due to the regulatory climate, lack of neutral hosts, and limited backhaul," the firm wrote
  • Roughly 70% of the small cells it identified are located in dense urban and urban areas.
  • Crown Castle operates about 50% of all small cells identified, while mobile network operators like Verizon account for around 35%. Crown Castle operates about 50,000 commercially available small cells today, with another 30,000 on order. ExteNet Systems operates roughly 32,000 small cells across the country, while Mobilitie – recently acquired by Canada's BAI Communications – counts around 10,000 small cells.
  • Altman Solon identified very few neutral host small cells, which are small cells that transmit signals for more than one network operator. Such devices are considered critical to the growth of the industry considering neutral host small cells can generate significant revenues for the companies that operate them.

Here is a short video from Crown Castle explaining their view of small cells

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