Boldyn Networks is advancing its dual strategy of private and neutral-host networks with projects in Gran Canaria, London, and New York – deploying private 5G, urban small cells, and subway connectivity for digital transformation.
In sum – what to know:
New York City, US – extended subway 5G rollout, with AT&T now live as the first carrier as part of a phased neutral-host network.
Gran Canaria, Spain – private 5G for OPCSA for container logistics, crane monitoring, operational efficiency, and reduced costs.
London, UK – over 200 small cells for urban 5G densification and smart-city IoT support – all via TfL fibre assets.
A trio of recent releases from Boldyn Networks underline the UK firm’s dual strategy around managed private networks and neutral-host infrastructure – in this case, in a port city and a couple of major urban centres – to drive digital change in industrial and urban metropolitan environments.
The company has been appointed by OPCSA (Operaciones Portuarias Canarias SA), the largest container terminal in Gran Canaria, to design, deploy, and operate a Nokia-made private 5G network. It has also announced extensions of large-scale urban connectivity projects in London and New York City – to densify 5G small cell coverage with multiple operators in the UK capital, and to open its infrastructure to AT&T users in the oldest underwater subway tunnel in the Big Apple.
Taken together, such a PR rush articulates its corporate strategy about private and shared infrastructure to drive digital change in diverse sectors and geographies. Here is a quick look at all three – from newest (announced today, October 7) to oldest (end of last month), and therefore in reverse order to the introduction here.
1 | MTA – New York City, US
Boldyn Networks’s project to connect the entire New York City subway system is gathering a head of steam. AT&T has activated services on its neutral-host infrastructure in the Joralemon Street tunnel, the oldest underwater subway tunnel in the city, stretching almost 1.8 kilometres between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Crosstown G line segments, which through Brooklyn and Queens, and connect to Manhattan-bound lines, are next. The UK firm is engaged in a phased 5G rollout across the city’s subway system, which includes previously unconnected lines.
As it stands, US customers can use their mobile services in underground tunnels on the 42nd St Shuttle line and a L line segment between Bedford Avenue station in Brooklyn and 1st Avenue station in Manhattan. Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity are also available in all underground subway stations. In 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) awarded Transit Wireless (now part of Boldyn) a contract to design, build, and operate the network for mobile carriers. The agreement specifies neutral-host infrastructure to support all AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
All are expected to join as the rollout progresses. AT&T is the first to support its users in the Joralemon Street tunnel and G line. “AT&T’s early commitment to joining this important work sets the pace for what’s to come across the subway system,” said Christos Karmis, chief executive at Boldyn Networks in the US.
Jamie Torres-Springer, president for construction and development at MTA, said: “We’re committed to using technology to improve the customer experience, and our customers deserve connectivity in the system. We’re proud to expand service with this partnership at no cost to our riders. We’re thrilled with AT&T’s engagement, and we expect other carriers will see the benefits of this partnership and help us push this movement forward.”
2 | TfL – London, UK
Boldyn Networks is ramping up its small cell rollout in London. The firm has said it has installed its 200th radio unit across busy London locations, as it works tactically with the UK’s big mobile operators to densify 5G coverage in support of the Mayor’s manifesto to improve digital connectivity to increase innovation, productivity, and growth. In parallel, as volumes go higher, the company said it is shrinking project delivery times to record lows, closing on a three-month order-to-activation target. This is “much faster than the standard [for] small cells activations”, it said.
Boldyn’s London small cell project is interesting, and also innovative. It is building a “high count fibre network” through the re-use of Transport for London (TfL) ducts, enabling rapid connections to thousands of prime assets for 5G densification. It has an exclusive 20-year concession with TfL to access more than 80,000 fibre-connected street assets, including on lighting columns, and around 2,000 kilometres of ducts and 400 kilometres of underground fibre – without the need for new planning permissions.
Which reduces the ultimate barriers for urban deployment: time and money. It also minimises disruption, reduces environmental impact, and preserves the city’s streetscape. So far, the firm has deployed small cells, supporting all three main operators, in busy areas such as King’s Cross, Waterloo, London Bridge, Old Street, The Shard, and Hyde Park Corner. As well as consumer connectivity, the remit is to support smart lighting, environmental monitoring, and other IoT applications – as well as “meaningful social benefits to communities”.
This initiative is supported by the Greater London Authority (GLA), the city government, with a brief to help bridge the digital divide by extending gigabit fibre to community centres and borough buildings, supporting improved CCTV and “urban safety infrastructure”, and enabling easier access for education, employment, and public services.
Theo Blackwell, chief digital officer at the GLA, said: “This small cell roll out is a significant milestone to help improve digital connectivity in the capital and it’s great to see the speed at which this has been installed. London is a vibrant, world class city and this initiative is another example of how the Mayor’s Connected London programme works with boroughs and telcos so more of London benefits from well-connected areas with better mobile signal as we build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”
3 | OPCSA – Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
Boldyn Networks is to deploy Nokia’s Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) solution at the OPCSA terminal in the port of Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands, under a subscription-based managed service model. OPCSA, operated by Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), is directly connected to more than 74 international ports and sits on key trade routes linking Europe, Africa, and South America. The initial phase of the project (expected to extend to a “broader rollout”) will validate a series of test cases. These include enabling connected workers equipped with tablets to manage container logistics and maintenance tasks, digitalising yard-operated rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes and monitoring boat-operated ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes.
The onboard PCs on the RTG cranes are positioned 20 metres above ground; the STS cranes are located more than 100 metres away. The private 5G network will connect both crane types wirelessly, eliminating the need for costly civil works and fibre connections. The setup is designed to deliver multiple operational benefits, from reducing the costs associated with maintaining and monitoring refrigerated containers through reliable, real-time connectivity for operators, to enabling secure data transmission from RTG cranes via Nokia Industrial fieldrouters as a first step toward remote crane operation. It will also support real-time telemetry monitoring of STS cranes to minimise downtime and prevent operational disruptions.
Jan Nowak, chief executive at OPCSA, said: “The deployment of private 5G will not only streamline operations but also position OPCSA as a leader in port innovation across the region. As the project evolves, OPCSA is well placed to become a digitalisation leader within TiL by pioneering private 5G to drive innovation and efficiency across terminal operations.”
