Wigan small-cell rollout strengthens 4G and 5G coverage 2026

Key Points

• Multi-operator indoor mobile connectivity has been put in place by the Wigan Council in partnership with IT firm Agilisys and connectivity company Freshwave in three council buildings.
• Freshwave has used the Omni Network in-building small cell system to provide connectivity in Wigan Town Hall and the Wigan Life Centre North and South Buildings.
• In another development, Freshwave and O2 (Virgin Media) have put up ten 4G/5G small cells outdoors in high-traffic areas such as Wigan Library and Wigan Wallgate Station.
• While the indoor system covers all mobile networks in the UK, the outdoor small cells cover only the clients of O2.
• The upgrades, according to the council and partners, will provide better access to digital services, improve health and wellbeing programs, and build up the area’s digital infrastructure.

Wigan (Manchester Mirror) September 24, 2026 — Freshwave and O2 (Virgin Media), in collaboration with Wigan Council and its dedicated IT services partner Agilisys, announced on 22 September 2026 a dual deployment of small-cell infrastructure intended to boost mobile connectivity indoors and outdoors across the borough. The initiative covers three council-operated buildings with a multi-operator indoor system and adds ten outdoor 4G/5G small cells in busy public areas to increase capacity for O2 customers.

What are the 4G and 5G small-cell upgrades in Wigan?

The project comprises two complementary elements: an indoor, multi-operator small-cell network inside key civic buildings, and a series of outdoor small cells mounted on street furniture to enhance coverage in high-demand locations. Small cells are compact radio base stations, typically shoebox-sized, designed to provide targeted coverage over distances of roughly 100 to 200 metres and are often installed on lamp posts, CCTV poles or similar structures to avoid the cost and complexity of new street assets.

Indoors, Freshwave has deployed its Omni Network platform across Wigan Town Hall and the Wigan Life Centre North and South buildings, creating a dedicated in-building system that extends the networks of all UK mobile network operators into these sites. Outdoors, ten 4G/5G small cells have been installed in partnership with O2 at locations including outside Wigan Library and outside Wigan Wallgate Station to increase capacity for the operator’s customers in areas with heavy footfall.

Which buildings now have multi-operator indoor mobile connectivity?

Freshwave’s Omni Network has been installed in three council-operated buildings: Wigan Town Hall, Wigan Life Centre North and Wigan Life Centre South. The system is described as a dedicated multi-operator in-building solution, meaning that staff and visitors inside these buildings can access mobile services from all major UK operators rather than being limited to a single network.

Wigan Life Centre North houses a range of public services under one roof, including the library and neighbourhood support functions such as Citizens Advice, Victim Support and housing advice. Wigan Life Centre South is focused on health and fitness, with facilities including a 25-metre main pool, a smaller pool, group exercise studios, a cycle studio and a gym. Wigan Town Hall serves as a central civic building for council operations and public engagement.

How does Freshwave’s Omni Network deliver all-operator coverage indoors?

Omni Network provides assured mobile connectivity from all UK mobile network operators by extending their networks indoors via small cells housed in a combined unit. According to Freshwave, building materials often block external mobile signals, creating indoor “dead zones”, but a dedicated multi-operator in-building system ensures that users inside can operate their mobile devices as they would outdoors.

The platform consolidates all operator equipment into a single small-cell box that is configured and controlled remotely via Freshwave’s data centre. Freshwave states that this approach requires less equipment, cabling and installation work than traditional distributed antenna systems, and uses up to 60 per cent less energy. The company will also provide an ongoing managed service for the indoor deployment.

Where have O2 and Freshwave installed outdoor small cells in Wigan?

Alongside the indoor work, Freshwave and O2 have deployed ten outdoor 4G/5G small cells in high-demand areas of Wigan. Specific locations cited include outside Wigan Library and outside Wigan Wallgate Station, where the small cells are intended to process mobile traffic at street level and enhance the experience for O2 customers.

Outdoor small cells are compact units that can be attached to existing street furniture such as lamp posts, providing additional capacity in busy areas while minimising visual clutter. The outdoor deployment forms part of O2’s wider small-cells programme, which the operator says has already brought more than 2,500 sites live across the UK, often in collaboration with infrastructure partners including Freshwave, Ontix, IONX Networks and Cellnex UK.

What have council and industry leaders said about the Wigan connectivity boost?

James Winterbottom, Director of Strategy and Innovation at Wigan Council, said improving residents’ experiences when accessing council buildings was “incredibly important” and that the collaboration with Freshwave on better connectivity across public spaces had “enabled just that”. He noted that residents visit life centres and libraries for services and activities to boost health and wellbeing, from gym sessions to TechMate tea parties aimed at improving digital confidence, adding that better online access meant a “more convenient, enjoyable and accessible experience for everyone”.

Nicola Mortali, Public Sector Director at Freshwave, said bringing dedicated mobile connectivity indoors was “about more than just signal strength” and was instead about enabling people to “work, learn, and access services seamlessly”. She said strong mobile coverage in civic buildings meant smoother operations, better access to digital services and a more productive and connected environment, and added that open access agreements helped speed the deployment of digital infrastructure by allowing mobile operators to share council-owned assets.

Professor Robert Joyce, Director of Mobile Access Engineering at O2, said the work in Wigan demonstrated how the operator’s £700 million Mobile Transformation Plan was strengthening digital infrastructure across the UK. He said outdoor small cells added mobile capacity in high-demand locations, supporting communities and enabling customers to stay connected.

Nigel Muirhead, Chief Executive Officer at Agilisys, said reliable mobile connectivity was now “basic infrastructure for a modern council”, underpinning everything from frontline staff working across sites to residents accessing services on their phones. He said Agilisys was pleased to have advised Wigan Council on choosing the right partner and that Freshwave’s approach stood out for its simplicity and speed, adding that Wigan was now home for Agilisys so the project was “personal”.

Background to Wigan’s digital connectivity and small-cell development

Wigan Borough has been pursuing digital improvement as part of wider council strategies, with published documents highlighting the social, economic and environmental effects of poor connectivity. A draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan for April 2025 noted that, according to Ofcom data from spring 2024, the borough had 44 per cent coverage of full-fibre broadband, including 27 per cent of commercial properties, and that only one phone network had full 5G coverage of the borough at that time. The plan set out ambitions to increase full-fibre broadband coverage and the number of phone networks with 5G coverage.

Council leaders have previously stated they were following the progress of 5G “with a very keen eye” as an exciting development that could support aspirations for the borough, reflecting a longer-term interest in smarter, more connected local services. The latest small-cell deployment builds on this trajectory by targeting specific pinch points—busy public spaces and key civic buildings—rather than attempting borough-wide coverage in a single step.

Prediction: how could Wigan’s 4G and 5G small-cell rollout affect residents and businesses?

For residents, the most immediate effect is likely to be more reliable mobile access inside council buildings and in busy outdoor locations such as library fronts and transport hubs, reducing dropped calls and slow data when accessing online services or streaming content. For people attending health and fitness sessions at Wigan Life Centre South, or using advice and support services at Wigan Life Centre North, consistent multi-operator coverage could make it easier to book appointments, complete digital forms and stay in contact with family or support networks while on site.

For local businesses and the wider economy, improved street-level capacity in high-footfall areas may support more stable mobile payments, navigation and communication for customers and workers, particularly during peak times. Over time, if similar small-cell deployments are extended to other town centres and public venues, Wigan could see incremental gains in perceived digital reliability that complement full-fibre broadband roll-out, potentially making the borough more attractive for digital-dependent activities and hybrid working patterns. However, the impact will remain localised unless the approach is scaled, and benefits will be most visible to O2 customers outdoors and to all mobile users inside the three upgraded buildings.

Background of the particular development

This development follows a period in which Wigan Borough has documented relatively modest full-fibre and 5G coverage compared with national ambitions, with official planning and infrastructure papers calling for increased fibre and multi-operator 5G presence. The council’s earlier digital strategy work recognised the negative effects of poor connectivity and signalled interest in 5G as a tool to support smarter services. The Freshwave–O2–Agilisys project translates those strategic intentions into targeted infrastructure, focusing first on civic buildings and busy public spaces where connectivity gaps are most visible to residents and staff.

Prediction for audiences affected by Wigan’s 4G and 5G small-cell rollout

For Wigan residents and service users, the rollout is likely to reduce friction in everyday digital interactions inside council buildings and around key sites, supporting more seamless access to health, advice and leisure services that increasingly rely on mobile connectivity. For local businesses and visitors, stronger outdoor capacity in busy areas may improve the reliability of mobile-dependent tasks such as contactless payments and real-time travel information, particularly during peak hours. If the model is replicated across more locations, the cumulative effect could be a steadier, more resilient mobile experience that complements fixed broadband improvements and supports the borough’s longer-term digital and economic goals.