UK councils join industry in new small cell push

Small Cell Forum has launched a Local Authority Connectivity Group, bringing together councils and telecoms infrastructure firms to develop practical resources for deploying small cells in public spaces.

The initiative targets city and town areas where existing macro mobile networks struggle to meet demand. It focuses on outdoor public locations, where councils often control access to street furniture and set planning requirements.

UK-led group

The group is initially working with UK local authorities, with plans to expand to other countries over time. Small Cell Forum expects the UK outputs to be adaptable for municipalities elsewhere planning small cell networks in public areas.

Small cells are compact radio units installed by operators and infrastructure providers on assets such as lamp posts and buildings. They boost mobile capacity and coverage at street level. Deployments typically require coordination on siting, power, backhaul, planning permission, and local design rules.

The group will produce blueprints, templates, and toolkits for local authorities and industry, focused on designing and deploying small cell networks in outdoor public spaces. Small Cell Forum said the aim is to capture public sector requirements and create a more structured collaboration process.

Local authorities have become more active in digital infrastructure programmes in recent years, including gigabit broadband procurement and mobile coverage initiatives. In dense urban areas, the need for extra mobile capacity has increased attention on public realm deployments. Small cells usually require more sites than traditional macro masts, increasing the need for repeatable processes and consistent street works.

Steering group

A steering group is leading the work, with representatives from Oxfordshire County Council, Glasgow City Council, and Cambridgeshire County Council. It also includes Wireless Infrastructure Group and BT Group, alongside members of the Small Cell Forum leadership team.

Oxfordshire County Council has already been involved in small cell deployments and said experience from local projects will help it share practical lessons with other councils and industry participants.

Craig Bower, Digital Infrastructure Programme Director at Oxfordshire County Council, said:

"Our connectivity team is delighted to be a part of this new initiative. Having had experience and success with small cell deployments in Oxfordshire, we are keen to share our experience and knowledge with the industry and with other councils. We all have a common goal: to improve connectivity for people living in our cities, towns and villages because it is a vital requirement for everyday life. How this is fully achieved is still being discussed, but small cells are certainly part of the answer in many cases. It can sometimes be challenging to get connectivity projects off the ground due to planning considerations and lack of funding. But, as part of our work with SCF, we can share our requirements, collectively look for solutions, and support other councils going through the same process."

Deployment issues

Small Cell Forum positioned the group as a mechanism for two-way engagement between local authorities and the supply side of the market. It highlighted practical deployment issues beyond radio performance, including the physical size and appearance of equipment and the commercial models used to build networks.

Simon Fletcher, Chief Strategy Officer at Small Cell Forum, said: "The Local Authority Connectivity Group initiative gives us valuable two-way communication with the end-users of connectivity solutions. This helps us fully understand their needs and pain-points so we can factor in the impact of everything from the size and aesthetics of small cell hardware, to the operator and neutral host models for deploying networks. We are learning from each other and it's allowing us to develop new ways to support the roll-out of small cells in public spaces."

Industry interest in neutral host models has grown as public bodies look for less disruptive approaches to street deployments. Under these models, a single infrastructure provider installs and operates shared equipment that multiple mobile networks can use. Councils have also sought more consistent approaches to wayleaves, access agreements, and works scheduling, particularly in areas with conservation constraints and high footfall.

The initiative will link into the organisation's events programme. A Local Authority Connectivity Breakfast Briefing is scheduled during the Small Cells World Summit in London on 3 June, and a separate session on public deployments will take place on the main stage on 2 June.

Small Cell Forum expects the group's initial work to set out repeatable approaches that councils and suppliers can apply across multiple locations, with further participation from local and central government representatives at the London summit.