Ubicquia and the Town of Rumford Make it Easy for UScellular to Enhance Network Coverage
Sign Attachment Rights Agreement Allowing Operator to Turn Streetlights into Radio Sites
TOWN OF RUMFORD, MAINE – November 20, 2023—Ubicquia, a creator of intelligent streetlight platforms that are simple to deploy and monitor, has signed a master streetlight attachment agreement with the Town of Rumford. This deal expedites the path for UScellular to deploy the Ericsson Street Radio, an innovative streetlight small cell created in collaboration with Ubicquia.
The Ericsson Street Radio was designed to turn a streetlight into a low or mid-band 5G site in 15 minutes without affecting the lighting functionality of the streetlight. It boosts 4G and 5G experience with zero footprint. With the master attachment agreement, Rumford removes the lengthy site permitting process, so that UScellular can add network capacity faster and at a lower cost.
George O’Keefe, economic development director for the Town of Rumford said, “This agreement is good for Rumford. Smart cities are built on connectivity, and by granting streetlight attachment rights, we enable UScellular to strengthen network coverage for our citizens without cluttering the cityscape. We also generate revenue from existing infrastructure. It is a win-win.”
Mike Irizarry, executive vice president and chief technology officer of UScellular said, “Getting site permits can sometimes take 12-18 months, and agreements like this expedite that process and allow us to provide essential connectivity without delay. We are always looking for innovative ways to enhance our network for customers, and adding radios to streetlights is simple, affordable, and unobtrusive. We look forward to working with Ubicquia and the Town of Rumford, and we hope more cities follow their lead.”
Rumford is a longstanding Ubicquia UbiCell® Network Lighting Controller customer.
Dave Wong, vice president of site acquisition at Ubicquia says, “Streetlights are often under-used assets. We are changing that by helping towns and cities like Rumford transform these assets. Today, Rumford's intelligent streetlights enhance road safety, asset management, and energy efficiency. With this agreement, they will also improve connectivity while generating revenue. This is an ideal model and carrier partnership for cities across the country.”
Ubicquia’s streetlight platforms are deployed in more than 800 municipalities across the US, and Ubicquia is working on similar master streetlight attachment agreements in other cities to accelerate broadband and public safety initiatives.
About Town of Rumford
The Town of Rumford, Maine is Oxford County's single largest municipality with a population of just under 6,000 people and growing. Located in the heart of Maine's ski country and surrounded by beautiful lakes and mountains the Town sits astride the Rumford Falls along the shores of the Androscoggin River. Known historically for its pulp and paper industry the Town's economy has diversified significantly in the past 20 years with major new investment in energy production and storage, healthcare services, business services, education services and a cluster of regional retail. New housing construction, downtown renovations, and rehabilitation of existing housing stock have contributed to major increases in property values and the arrival of new residents. The Town has executed creatively on several recent opportunities for projects on public infrastructure or land and looks forward to continuing its productive and fruitful relationship with Ubicquia's smart node solutions and RTE Energy Solutions streetlight services.
About Ubicquia
Ubicquia’s intelligent infrastructure platforms install in minutes and make the world smarter, safer, and more connected. Our smart city solutions simply plug into the photocell socket of 360 million compatible streetlights to reduce energy consumption, enhance public safety, and lower operations and maintenance costs. Our communications platforms use existing streetlights to expand public broadband and help mobile operators accelerate 5G and FWA deployments. Our smart grid products attach to existing distribution transformers in minutes and provide predictive analytics that make the grid more resilient. Ubicquia® products are deployed by more than 800 customers, including some of the largest cities, utilities, and mobile operators across North America. To learn more visit www.ubicquia.com.
About UScellular
UScellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to help customers stay connected to the things that matter most. The Chicago-based carrier provides a strong, reliable network supported by the latest technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. Through its After School Access Project, the company has pledged to provide hotspots and service to help up to 50,000 youth connect to reliable internet. Additionally, UScellular has price protected all of its plans, promising not to increase prices through at least the end of 2024. To learn more about UScellular, visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest news, visit newsroom.uscellular.com.
