The RSPAWIR Mobile Coverage Study showed large areas of the region to be mobile not spots and the programme worked with different suppliers to understand potential solutions. One solution, applicable in small but concentrated villages is small cells. Despite being standard technology used to bolster capacity in urban areas, they had been rarely used in rural contexts to extend coverage.
Neutral Host provider Aerix established two small cells in the villages of West Felton (Shropshire Council area) and High Ercall (Telford & Wrekin Council area) and worked with Parallel Wireless to provide access to the MNOs. Initially O2 were encouraged to offer services through the cells which significantly increased O2 coverage and capacity in the villages. EE are also working towards offering their services alongside O2 which will make the trial the first rural location in the UK offering multi operator access through a neutral host small cell.