Case Study-George Best Airport
First UK airport to be connected to 5G.
SOLiD is excited to announce the implementation of Vodafone 5G mobile connectivity at George Best Airport in Belfast.
SOLiD is excited to announce the implementation of Vodafone 5G mobile connectivity at George Best Airport in Belfast, marking the first UK airport to be connected to 5G. This is a highly anticipated upgrade for holiday makers, business travelers and businesses at the key regional Airport.
This project has been completed in partnership with leading smart buildings specialists, Exchange Communications, who installed the tech to facilitate the new high-level connectivity and will mean faster and more reliable data for those travelling through and located at the airport.
SOLiD implemented both the airport's 4G Genesis and 5G Genesis solutions at George Best airport delivering a world class, distributed antenna system (DAS). The custom design for George Best Airport was the first to use 5G hotspots. This pioneering design enables high throughput and low latency in both the passenger arrival and departure areas.
George Best Belfast City Airport is in County Down, Northern Ireland, around three miles from Belfast City Centre. The airport is home to seven airlines operating 22 routes across the UK and Europe. In 2022 the airport handled over 1.6 million passengers, and it is a base for British Airways and Aer Lingus who are the largest operators at the site.
“This was SOLiD's first 5G airport project in the UK. The design pioneered the use of 5G hotspots for busy areas with a passive 4G overlay. Also, this is the airport I use to travel to London so it was great to see and use our own equipment "
- Steven Gallagher, VP Sales EMEA, SOLiD
Today's modern airport presents many similar connectivity challenges to large shopping centres i.e., they contain a range of businesses of various sizes across a large area. Therefore, planning the correct coverage and capacity is key. Airports also have very high footfall leading to significant demand for bandwidth. Passengers have a variety of needs from email/text communication to app usage and a range of multimedia demands. Connectivity for these demands needs to extend across a wide area from the central concourse all the way out to the boarding gates.
"Airports are a pivotal part of the economy supporting an ecosystem of companies employing thousands of people. Our pioneering technology ensures the deployment of 5G will both futureproof the airport's connectivity and enable new services which will support the airport, its customers, and those businesses."
-Tom Sime, CEO at Exchange Communications
Now with Vodafone 5G available at the airport, a range of additional benefits are available to all types of air travelers. Parents will be able to quickly download a movie before their flight to keep the kids entertained. Business travelers will have quicker access to important documents and the lower latency will make connections to remote servers that much quicker.
5G also offers businesses at the airport a range of new and exciting options. From real-time inventories to checkout free 'smart carts', the technology will enable businesses to be more efficient. Finally, 5G also has the potential to support a new range of airport services such as contactless check-in and digital passport controls.
SOLiD, in partnership with Exchange Communications, is proud to be able to deliver this mobile connectivity solution for the George Best Belfast City Airport.
“For passengers, businesses and the economy Airports are key hubs that service millions of people every year so enabling them with best-in-class connectivity was our objective.
Delivering 5G opens the door to enhanced services and IOT with the connectivity and flexibility needed adopt new services and developments. The supply of Solid for these sites is an easy choice and sets the airports up for a bright future."
- Andrea Dona, UK Network & Development Director at Vodafone
About Exchange Communications
Exchange Communications it the UK's leading supplier of in-building cellular solutions. We enable our clients to benefit from highly connected buildings that supports their operational requirements, future-proof developments for the benefits that loT will bring to the business.
These installations in Mixed use Development, Airports, Offices, Shopping centres, and residential developments -create smart buildings that are innovative, giving their owners differentiators in their marketplace whist reducing operational costs and offering greater flexibility in how they are occupied and used.
www.exchangecommunications.co.uk
Exchange Communications delivered the 4G and 5G at George Best Airport with a SOLiD Genesis Solution. This is the first 5G multi-operator solution delivered in Europe.
