Leading shared communication infrastructure provider, BAI Communications, turned to ATDI to help build the UK’s smartest city. ATDI designed a private 5G network for BAI as part of their new partnership with Sunderland City Council. The aim was to accelerate the development of the UK’s most advanced smart city.
The smart city network will use 5G for the city centre. MIMO antennas will be installed on lamp posts and supported by a LoraWAN network for connectivity for sensors and IOT. ATDI Technical Director, Herve Napoletano said, "The network designs allowed BAI to submit a competitive bid. They provided confidence that both network coverage and capacity requirements for the smart network could be met."
This network deployment will use Omni-directional antennas with terminal/end devices at street level. BAI pre-defined the antenna heights and potential locations. Technical parameters like the coverage area, equipment parameters and receiver sensitivity were input during project set up.
The project outputs were the network plans with coverage maps for both the 5G and LoRAWAN networks. In addition, throughput maps and an SNIR map for the 5G network were supplied.
Using their flagship radio planning tool, HTZ Communications, ATDI modelled the network to BAI’s exacting network parameters. BAI will purchase HTZ Communications licenses, ATDI's flagship radio planning software, to manage the final network design and implementation.
As EU countries start to connect different vertical industries, it raises the question as to whether increased spectrum coordination is needed. Research indicates that different approaches are being used across Europe, which could lead to spectrum fragmentation. Recent 5G spectrum auctions in Europe all use different bands. These included 3.70-3.8GHx in Germany, 3.8-4.2GHz in the UK and 2.6GHz in France.
To learn more about planning 5G private networks, watch our latest webinar session here.
About BAI Communications:
BAI Communications is a world leader in shared communications infrastructure, pioneering solutions that empower our customers to advance their services, accelerate their networks and amplify their reach in the most efficient and cost-effective ways possible. Having long been at the forefront of network advancement, BAI is harnessing fibre, spearheading the transition from 4G/LTE, accelerating 5G and preparing for 6G – and beyond. We collaborate closely with our customers in MNOs, government, transit, enterprise, broadcasting and venues to realise their communications vision, focusing not just on the immediate future, but on the possibilities that exist over long-term partnerships. Our global operations span Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States through BAI Group company, Mobilitie, and majority-owned Transit Wireless. Together, we’re creating smarter communities for all.
