November 22, 2022 1.00 pm This story is over 26 months old

5G boost: Broadband hubs proposed for Lincoln High Street

Dubbed as “the next evolution of public connectivity”

A series of BT hubs boosting broadband and 5G connectivity are planned for Lincoln city centre.

The communications company has made several applications to the City of Lincoln Council for permission to install the new infrastructure project in locations on Saltergate and High Street and outside Lincoln Central Railway Station on St Mary’s Street.

The plans also include removing existing BT phone boxes on the High Street in order for the street hubs to replace them.

The hubs include 1Gbps WiFi connections and also help to boost 5G signal around the city centre.

Two 75″ LCD screens on either side will display adverts, with local councils given around 5% of the time available – around 438 hours a year per display – to share their messages.

The screens wil also include a digital version of the BT phonebook, along with live and local weather information, maps and other instructions.

How the new hub will look on the High Street. | Image: BT

Also included are free phone calls to anywhere in the UK, including a dedicated 999 call button.

Documents before the council describe the street hubs as “the next evolution of public connectivity”.

“Street Hubs bring councils, communities and citizens wide-scale digital connectivity at no cost – entirely run and installed by BT,” said the documents.

The hub planned for Saltergate. | Image: BT

“Modern cities require digital connectivity provision, both for residents and visitors, to enable their day to day living and enjoyment of recreational activities, all of which contributes to the vitality of the city and its economic and social sustainability.

“BT’s Street Hubs will provide such a service, however, to enable this to be provided free of cost to the taxpayer (national and local), advertisement on either side of the unit is required to support this function, and as such is an intrinsic part of the development.”

BT says the hubs will be inspected weekly and monitored 24/7 with anti-social behaviour management plans in place.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire County Council said the hubs would use existing cabinets installed during a previous contract with BT, however, confirmed BT was acting alone this time round.


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