Three UK has completed the first phase of an Open RAN trial in Glasgow, deploying mobile masts on lampposts and street signs.
The trial boosted 5G speeds, reaching up to 520 Mbps and is part of a government-backed project called SCONDA, which explores smarter, more efficient ways to build mobile networks.
Three will now expand the trial from 18 to 34 small mobile sites across Glasgow city centre.
SCONDA (Small Cells in Open RAN Dense Area) is a collaboration between Three UK and several technology partners, with support from Glasgow City Council and funding from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Iain Milligan, Chief Network Officer at Three UK, said:
“This is the UK’s first Open RAN trial to address the real-world complexity of a dense urban environment. Urban deployments present a different set of technical and operational challenges compared to rural areas. We’ve had to integrate legacy systems, manage security layers, and adapt to evolving software—all while delivering measurable improvements for customers. The results are encouraging and lay a strong foundation for scaling and optimising Open RAN in cities.”
