City Connectivity Pilot

• The pilot along Queen Victoria Street, passing well-known London sites including Bank and the Millennium Bridge, is expected to be live from October
• Cornerstone holds a concession with the City of London Corporation to deliver a range of wireless communications

Mobile infrastructure services provider Cornerstone is partnering with Freshwave to deliver a mobile connectivity pilot to help future-proof the City Corporation’s small cell communication infrastructure. Freshwave, a leading UK connectivity infrastructure as a service provider, will be upgrading existing infrastructure in the Square Mile to make it capable of delivering multi-operator 4G and 5G connectivity at street level using dark fibre and small cells. If the pilot is successful, the ambition is for a City-wide deployment that will deliver faster mobile connectivity speeds across the Square Mile.

Part of Cornerstone’s concession with the City Corporation, the 10-site pilot will run along approximately 1km of Queen Victoria Street. It will pass sites such as Bank, Mansion House, the Millennium Bridge and Blackfriars and is expected to be live from October.

Freshwave will be installing or upgrading City Corporation street assets so that the same asset can be used by multiple mobile network operators (MNOs). The shareable infrastructure will allow improved connectivity while minimising the amount of street equipment. Using small cell technology, which enhances 4G and 5G connectivity, Freshwave will work with the MNOs to deliver an improved user experience for mobile users within the pilot area.

Simon Frumkin, Freshwave’s CEO, said: “I’m pleased that we’re partnering with Cornerstone on this prestigious project. The City of London is one of the pre-eminent financial districts in the world and we’re proud to be bringing our leading multi-operator network service expertise to this pilot.”

Denis Coakley, Cornerstone’s COO, said: “As a long-standing partner of the City of London Corporation, we’re looking forward to facilitating the next step in the evolution of the City’s connectivity with Freshwave. Deploying the latest technology, in the newest ways, is critical to delivering the cutting-edge connectivity the City deserves.”

City of London Corporation Streets and Walkways Committee Chairman, Graham Packham, said: “This new deal will activate a 5G infrastructure pilot to all mobile networks this year which will make the City even more accessible and better connected for visitors, workers and residents. It is helping to drive forward momentum in the Square Mile’s recovery from the pandemic and will boost the City’s attractiveness for talent.”

Bespoke antennas will be installed on the upgraded infrastructure and with multiple pieces of telecoms equipment being housed in the accompanying cabinets, there will be fewer devices needed on the street assets themselves. The cabinets will be connected via dark fibre.

Ends

About Freshwave

Freshwave invests expertise and capital in ways that make digital infrastructure remarkably simple. Faster, less costly and in the right places. It’s the network service provider bringing mobile operators, central and local government, and real estate providers together to work in new ways. Their managed sites include some of the biggest, most challenging wireless environments in the UK, including several central London boroughs and Docklands. With 6000+ mast site locations, 2000+ buildings connected and 200+ outdoor networks supported; they ensure everyone has network. Backed by DigitalBridge, they too combine technical telecoms and commercial real estate know-how to create long-term market impact. To learn more, visit www.freshwavegroup.com.

About City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK.

About DigitalBridge

DigitalBridge (NYSE: DBRG) is a leading global digital infrastructure REIT. With a heritage of over 25 years investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem including cell towers, data centres, fibre, small cells, and edge infrastructure, the DigitalBridge team manages a $45 billion portfolio of digital infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. Headquartered in Boca Raton, DigitalBridge has key offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Singapore. For more information on DigitalBridge, visit www.digitalbridge.com.