Council bosses have agreed to allow CCTV poles to be used as 5G masts in Stoke-on-Trent.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is set to enter an open access agreement with network provider Cellnex UK to enable 5G small cell deployment on the authority's CCTV columns.

Small cell deployment is a cost-effective way of expanding faster 5G mobile coverage into local areas by using low-power, short-range base stations, as opposed to more typical larger phone masts. According to a council report, the agreement with Cellnex UK will boost the local economy while also generating an income for the city council.

According to a council report, the agreement will boost the local economy whilst generating an income for the city council (Unsplash).

The report states: "A 5G open access network in the city would further enable all sectors of the economy to operate more flexibly using new business models, to develop new products and services and to boost productivity. From transport and logistics sectors to finance, health and social care, manufacturing and retail, 5G will open the door to a new generation of digital services, applications and technologies."

The report says that while 5G is likely to expand into Stoke-on-Trent in any event, without the use of CCTV columns 'coverage may not be citywide and the opportunity to generate revenue through the use of the municipal network will be lost'.

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