Cascais gets off the 5G blocks with neutral host network

Neutral host operator Dense Air has installed 5G infrastructure at the Estoril Congress Centre in Cascais.

The installation follows an agreement signed in September 2019 between Cascais City Council and Dense Air and makes Cascais one of the first municipalities in Portugal to deploy 5G infrastructure.

Dense Air acts as a “carrier of carriers”, operating a neutral host network which can support multiple operators at the same time. The approach aims to simplify the installation process, reduce visual pollution and provide choice for consumers. It can help to plug connectivity gaps in areas which might not typically be seen as a commercial priority for mobile operators.

Dense Air worked closely with the municipality of Cascais to identify areas where 5G could have a significant impact on its citizens and businesses, and the network infrastructure makes use of city-owned assets.

Tony Boyle, Dense Air Portugal General Manager, commented: “This is another very significant milestone for Dense Air Portugal bringing neutral host 5G services to market. This 5G massive MIMO [multiple-input and multiple-output] site delivers gigabit services to 5G-enabled handsets and also acts as a donor to our innovative ‘Magic Box Small Cells’ able to deliver densified in-building coverage.”

Cascais plans to use the network to test and support applications such as immersive education, telehealth, autonomous driving and industrial Internet of Things (IoT).

National goal

The company said this 5G site and the installation of other strategically placed small cells will provide a cohesive 5G network for testing and validation of its neutral host proposition.

Dense Air is using existing spectrum it holds in the 3.5GHz band and bidding in Portugal’s 5G spectrum auction is set to get underway soon.

“Once we’ve secured spectrum for the long-term, we will mass deploy across the whole of Portugal,” Paul Senior, CEO of Dense Air, told Cities Today.

“This is us getting ahead of the curve,” he added, noting that the company already has agreements in place with the cities of Lisbon and Porto.

Senior said that while a neutral host approach is relatively common for indoor deployments, it’s an emerging area for smart cities more widely. The roll-out of 5G – particularly with renewed emphasis on closing the digital divide amid the COVID-19 pandemic – is a “tipping point” for the technology, he said.

Dense Air also operates in Ireland, New Zealand, Belgium and Australia.

The company recently announced that it will provide New Zealand’s first community based private mobile network in Paerata Rise, a housing development under construction in Auckland. The network will support an autonomous shuttle, security cameras, water meters and more.

It is also deploying a neutral host 5G network in Dublin to support smart city services around the city’s docklands district.

Sunderland in the UK is also pursuing a neutral host model for 5G and is seeking a partner for this, Liz St Louis, Assistant Director of Smart Cities, Sunderland City Council, told Cities Today recently.