Operator stc Bahrain has announced plans to launch what it calls a first-of-a-kind camouflaged small cell solution across Bahrain.
stc Bahrain is a telecommunications company based in Bahrain but owned by the Saudi Telecom Company.
The aim of the rollout is to improve the coverage of stc Bahrain’s 4G and 5G networks across several areas. The new camouflaged small cell solution is built to support wireless communications in high-traffic areas such as school campuses and business districts. The small cells will be used to densify networks, improving overall network performance and capacity.
But this initiative is not just about faster, more reliable and more widely available data services to meet growing data traffic demand in hotspots in Bahrain.
This new solution will, stc says, provide aesthetically pleasing installation designs in line with public radio-communication stations (PRS) regulations that make it necessary to beautify the look of radio station towers.
To make sure this will work, stc Bahrain has conducted a proof of concept of the new solution with the deployment of a camouflaged small cell on a street pole. The first phase of the project is to be completed by Q3 2021 in hotspot areas of Manama and Hoora.
As industry association the Small Cell Forum has pointed out, in the 5G era, small cells will be deployed in a far wider range of scenarios, and the form factors and architectures will be much more varied than in the past. Some 5G frequencies require end users to be very close to cells – particularly for broadband. Massive rollout of small cells – suitably disguised – is likely to be an answer.
