Delivering Connectivity In London’s Urban Area: Private 5G for Indoor and Outdoor
Our work with Colt and CIN in central London showcases how 5G OpenRAN can unlock seamless indoor and outdoor connectivity through 5G and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and how Cell-Stack makes it possible to deliver that connectivity in dense urban environments with far greater scalability and affordability.
Project Arana:
Introducing Cell-Stack as a Naas Platform Accelerating Network Monetisation Through New Business Models
Main Challenge: Connectivity in Dense Urban Areas
In highly populated urban environments, bringing fibre to every business and home is a huge challenge. Not only is it costly and time-consuming, but in many areas, it’s simply not feasible due to the complexity of civil works. In this landscape, we saw an opportunity to explore how software-driven technologies could offer a more scalable and cost-effective alternative.
What began as a FWA trial has now evolved into a full 5G network, a living, breathing testbed for innovation. This network is currently supporting a wide range of advanced use cases, from AI-driven security cameras to cutting-edge manufacturing applications. By partnering with key industry players, we’re unlocking the real potential of 5G as a transformative solution for urban connectivity and beyond.
Partenerships
- CIN
- Colt
- SRS
- Benetel
- D-Link
- Wisdm
Technologies
- Private 5G
- OpenRAN
- Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
- Cell-Stack
- IQ Network
Strategic Partnerships for Success
Weaver Labs joined forces with a group of industry leaders, including CIN, Colt Technology Services, SRS, Benetel, and D-Link, to deploy this trial. By combining our expertise in Cell-Stack orchestration with Colt’s infrastructure and CIN’s innovative Street Arc data centre solution, we created an edge-cloud network that delivers seamless 5G connectivity in urban environments.
Cell-Stack, at the heart of the solution, enabled us to manage and monitor the entire deployment from start to finish. As the central hub for automation, it simplified the complexity of network operations, making it easier to scale, manage power consumption, and track performance in real-time.
Bringing Connectivity to Life
The trial utilised a private 5G network built on OpenRAN technology, which enabled us to deploy connectivity where it would otherwise have been difficult or expensive to install fibre. Using FWA, we were able to extend coverage to isolated or complex sites, including nearby businesses and residential areas, transforming how they experience connectivity.
This trial also highlighted the crucial role of Cell-Stack in managing the entire network operation. From deployment to runtime, Cell-Stack handled everything: orchestrating both hardware and virtual network resources, optimising power management, and ensuring the system ran efficiently. This seamless orchestration reduced costs, sped up deployment, and ensured that the infrastructure could easily scale to meet growing demand.
Insights and Results
In partnership with Wisdm, a leading network planning tool, we gained valuable insights into optimising coverage in dense urban environments. Through extensive testing, we were able to identify key strategies for improving performance and making FWA a viable solution for urban areas.
Key Findings
Transmit Power Optimisation: By increasing transmit power to 27dBm, we nearly doubled the coverage area, significantly improving the network’s ability to serve densely populated areas.
Economic Viability: This increase in coverage directly impacted the economic case for FWA, making it a more cost-effective and scalable solution in urban environments where traditional fibre deployment is often too costly or challenging.
This is where Cell-Stack truly demonstrates its value. By leveraging automation and data-driven insights, we were able to:
Reduce Costs: Streamline deployment processes, minimising overhead costs and operational complexities.
Accelerate Time to Market: Enable faster rollouts by automating and optimising network management.
Enhance Network Performance: Through continuous monitoring and real-time adjustments, we ensured the network could scale and adapt as needed, ensuring reliability in high-density environments.
The Role of Cell-Stack
Cell-Stack plays a central role in enabling affordable, scalable urban connectivity. By integrating, automating, and managing network resources with precision, it demonstrates how real value comes from intelligent orchestration of technology. This trial shows that the future of urban connectivity will be shaped by smart, software-driven platforms like Cell-Stack—built to optimise performance, reduce complexity, and accelerate deployment.
A Glimpse into the Future
The trial confirmed more than just the viability of FWA as a cost-effective option for indoor connectivity in dense urban settings; it demonstrated the broader potential of 5G and OpenRAN to reshape how networks are built and operated. When paired with the automation, orchestration, and scalability of Cell-Stack, these technologies show how software-driven approaches can simplify deployment, reduce operational overhead, and create a more sustainable pathway for urban connectivity.
As cities worldwide look for faster, more flexible ways to extend coverage across complex urban landscapes, Cell-Stack is emerging as a critical enabler delivering efficient, scalable, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional fibre rollouts.
