Our clients sought to establish high-capacity macro sites in locations that were previously inaccessible or not cost-effective for conventional site types. The objective was to enhance cellular coverage in underserved areas and provide seamless connectivity to communities.

What We Did: Project Summary

Delmec embarked on a mission to design, fabricate, and install customised streetworks solutions that seamlessly integrated complex mobile hardware while harmonising with the urban environment. The guiding principle was to create a solution that was “Simply Clever” – straightforward in appearance yet sophisticated in its capabilities. This involved addressing the following key aspects:

• Simplicity on the Outside:

Designing structures that can deploy a trisector quadband antenna at up to 23m inconspicuously in plain sight, minimising public attention.

Compact and discreet multi-utility cabinets replacing multiple traditional cabinets or full porta cabins, blending into the streetscape.

• Clever on the Inside:

Incorporating multi-band antennas, tri-sector configurations with 36 antennas, 230V AC and 48V DC power systems, fibre and RF transmission, GPS synchronization, climate control, and alarms.

Balancing the needs of various stakeholders, including telecoms (TowerCos and operators) and non-telecoms entities (local authorities, neighbours).

How We Did It: Our Approach and Tools

Delmec harnessed its diverse and skilled engineering team, which encompassed structural, civil, manufacturing, electrical, planning, and radio engineering expertise. Our approach involved:

• Developing a comprehensive, in-house team with overlapping skills to overcome the segmented nature of telecoms.
• Implementing trial sites with simple configurations, gradually evolving to more complex configurations as solution acceptance increased.
• Offering a turnkey solution encompassing all site elements within a single package, streamlining deployment.

Overcoming Challenges:

Delmec encountered challenges in convincing stakeholders about the value proposition of the solution and proving the efficacy of deploying shorter structures closer to consumers. Trial sites were instrumental in validating performance and community acceptance.

Unexpected Benefits:

Pre-rigging the solution in the warehouse facilitated faster on-site deployment, minimizing disruptions to the local community during installation.

Winning the Project:

Delmec’s existing relationship with the client and a reputation for innovative problem-solving were pivotal in securing the project. The evolution of streetworks solutions from rooftop solutions also contributed to establishing credibility.

Project Duration:

The project was a result of ongoing development since 2018, with various iterations leading to the deployment of 23m quad-tenant 5G solutions.

Impact on the Client:

The final solution became the preferred build-to-suit choice for clients, offering reliable deployment, high radio performance, and a benchmark for coverage solutions. Previously challenging coverage blackspots now have access to high-capacity broadband, 4G, and 5G coverage.

Collaborators:

TowerCos took the lead in solution deployment, supported by Delmec’s technical expertise, along with partners such as Alpha Antennas and planning consultants JRA.

Navigating New Markets:

Expansion into new markets required collaborative agreements between operators and TowerCos to share the deployment of passive and active solution elements. This approach led to reduced overall rollout costs.

Conclusion:

Delmec’s journey from innovative trial sites to robust, efficient streetworks solutions exemplifies their commitment to addressing connectivity challenges with creativity and expertise. By blending advanced technology with thoughtful design, they have unlocked previously inaccessible areas for reliable, high-speed connectivity.