UK mobile carrier Everything Everywhere has announced a new initiative which aims at improving connectivity in rural areas around the country. The mobile operator says it will use micro-network technology, that doesn’t require installing cables or setting up new masts, in order to offer connectivity coverage to some 1,500 rural communities across the country by 2017.
According to EE, the micro-network will work to connect communities of around 100-150 homes and businesses, across an area of 0.5 square miles with just three or four small antennas which can be easily installed on the side of any building in just a few hours without the need for planning permission. The technology has been designed by Parallel Wireless.
Announcing the new initiative, EE CEO Olaf Swantee said “With this innovative new technology, we have the capability to connect every community in the UK, and we estimate that we’ll be able to bring reliable voice coverage and high speed mobile broadband to more than 1,500 places for the first time by 2017.”
Swantee added that the company has been working closely with government on the long-term ambition to bring voice coverage to more of the UK, and also believes that this world-first technology will demonstrate significant advancements against that vision.
A trial project is currently running in the village of Sebergham in Cumbria, where three meshed antennas now supply data and voice to 129 households and businesses.
