Swansea City Council has announced a plan to deploy small cell technology on lampposts and other street furniture to boost connectivity around the city centre.
Initially up to 10 small cells are to be installed around the area on a trial basis, with the potential to lead to a wider roll out.
The deployment is to take place as part of the Swansea Bay City Deal’s Digital Infrastructure Programme and is aimed at improving mobile coverage and data speeds. – with the potential to support the introduction smart bins and air quality sensors.
A spokesperson for the council told UKAuthority that sensors are already being deployed in Swansea in areas such as monitoring pollution levels, and that this project will underpin and support a further roll out, with examples such as alerts when a life ring has been removed at Swansea Marina.
Smarter city
Council leader Rob Stewart said: "We've all experienced times when we're in a busy place and can't seem to get good enough coverage or fast enough download speeds on our mobiles.
"This scheme is aimed at tackling that issue in Swansea city centre, while also supporting our ambition to become a smarter city in the coming years where technology is used to make more efficient decisions for the benefit of our residents and businesses.
"It will also be future proofed to help support innovation and the increasing demand for data and connectivity in the coming years."
Swansea also has free Wi-Fi available in some parts of the city centre and the Copr Bay district. There plans to commission an expansion to the indoor market and some public spaces.
