SCF today announced the launch of its Local Authority Connectivity Group, a new initiative created to capture public sector requirements and work collaboratively to speed roll-out of better connectivity in cities and towns – particularly using small cells.

The group’s focus is on developing blueprints, templates and toolkits for Local Authorities and industry that aid the development and deployment of small cell networks for outdoor public places where capacity provided by the macro network is inadequate.

The group is currently working with UK Local Authorities but, in future the scope will extend to other countries. The hope is that the resources developed by the UK group will be easily adaptable for use by authorities and municipalities planning small cell networks for public spaces anywhere in the world.

The work is being led by a Steering Group, made up of representatives from Oxfordshire County Council, Glasgow City Council and Cambridgeshire Country Council, along with SCF member representative companies Wireless Infrastructure Group, BT Group, and representatives from the SCF leadership team.

Craig Bower, Digital Infrastructure Programme Director, Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Our connectivity team is delighted to be a part of this new initiative. Having had experience and success with small cell deployments in Oxfordshire we are keen to share our experience and knowledge with the industry and with other councils.

“We all have a common goal: to improve connectivity for people living in our cities, towns and villages because it is a vital requirement for everyday life. How this is fully achieved is still being discussed, but small cells are certainly part of the answer in many cases. It can sometimes be challenging to get connectivity projects off the ground due to planning considerations and lack of funding. But, as part of our work with SCF we can share our requirements, collectively look for solutions, and support other councils going through the same process.”

Simon Fletcher, Chief Strategy Officer of Small Cell Forum, added: “The Local Authority Connectivity Group initiative gives us valuable two-way communication with the end-users of connectivity solutions. This helps us fully understand their needs and pain-points so we can factor in the impact of everything from the size and aesthetics of small cell hardware, to the operator and neutral host models for deploying networks. We are learning from each other and it’s allowing us to develop new ways to support the roll-out of small cells in public spaces.”

A Local Authority Connectivity Breakfast Briefing will be held during Small Cells World Summit, SCF’s flagship industry conference, on 3 June in London. There will also be a session on public deployments on the main stage on 2 June. Representatives from local and central government can access complimentary passes to SCWS, for more details visit www.smallcells.world

To sign up for email updates from the Local Authority Connectivity Group, or to get involved visit www.smallcellforum.org/local-authority-connectivity-group