CU Phosco, a leading exterior lighting and telecommunications specialist, completed the successful installation of its Connected Urban smart pole – designed to provide increased 4G and 5G densification to mobile telephone users – in Cologne, Germany. This cutting-edge 5G streetlighting pole was deployed just in time for the start of the European Football Championship, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of urban mobile network infrastructure.
The Connected Urban pole was installed and commissioned into the O2 Telefonica network in less than seven days using a unique steel root system which required no concrete and therefore no wasted curing time. It used the excavated material as the backfill to support the structure. This unique method has saved the city between 450 and 800kg of CO2 as well as no excavated material needing to be disposed of at landfill sites.
The Connected Urban smart pole, strategically located near Cologne Cathedral and the central train station, is not just a street lighting pole. It’s a symbol of today’s smart city innovation, that served one of the city’s major fan zones on Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer. This advanced solution provided both high-performance lighting and robust 5G network capabilities, ensuring an enhanced mobile experience for thousands of football fans and city residents.
Regardless of the result, Cologne was the winner for 5G coverage
Long after hearts were broken and victories celebrated, Cologne residents are still benefiting from a high-performance mobile network, thanks to a collaborative project between CU Phosco, telecommunications provider O2 Telefónica, infrastructure specialist 5G Synergiewerk, NetCologne, and energy provider RheinEnergie.
The project, designed to enhance the existing mobile network by providing additional capacity at specific urban points, was part of O2 Telefónica’s broader initiative to deploy 5G streetlight poles across Germany, following successful installations in Frankfurt am Main and Würzburg.
What did the project achieve?
The team installed the cutting-edge Connected Urban 5G smart pole near Cologne Cathedral and the central train station, in time for the 2024 European Football Championship. Positioned to serve one of the city’s major fan zones on Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer, Connected Urban served as a lighting solution and enhanced the city’s infrastructure, symbolising modern smart city innovation.
The smart pole can handle high bandwidth demands, offering seamless 5G and 4G/LTE connectivity. Matthias Sauder, Director of Mobile Access & Transport Networks at O2 Telefónica, highlighted the timely nature of this deployment, saying, “With the 5G streetlight mast, we provided an even better mobile network at Cologne Cathedral just in time for the European Football Championship, boosting network capacities significantly.”
The result? An enhanced mobile network performance
The deployment of the Connected Urban smart pole substantially enhanced mobile network performance, handling approximately 300 gigabytes of mobile data volume daily. This capability was particularly beneficial during the European Football Championship, as it supported high-bandwidth and low-latency applications vital for digital innovation and enhanced fan experience. Initial results indicate that the through put of data exceeded 1.5 terabytes per day during the first weekend it was operational.
Ralf Gerbershagen, Managing Director of 5G Synergiewerk GmbH, commented, “We are proud of the new site in Cologne. At 19.3 meters high, we provided the most powerful 5G streetlight mast in Germany. This project exemplifies what can be achieved through collaboration.”
The Connected Urban smart pole was not just a temporary solution for the championship but a permanent upgrade to Cologne’s urban infrastructure. It will continue to provide high-performance mobile network coverage for residents and visitors during major events, like the annual Carnival, which attracts around 1.5 million visitors. Keith Henry, General Manager and Telecommunications Product Manager at CU Phosco Australia commented on the broader implications, stating, “We are proud to have played a role in this groundbreaking initiative, which offers a comprehensive solution to the growing demands in urban settings.”
The CU Phosco Connected Urban smart pole is a modular, fully customisable solution that integrates high-performance lighting with advanced telecommunications capabilities within a compact footprint. This innovative, intelligent pole utilises existing infrastructure to efficiently deliver essential urban lighting and telecommunications services.
