O2 UK plans to deploy 300 small cells across London in partnership with infrastructure company Arqiva, as the operator looks to enhance mobile data capacity in the city and prepare for future 5G connectivity.

In a statement, both companies said 300 small cells will be installed on street assets, such as lampposts, to deliver targeted coverage and increased capacity in areas “where mobile data demand is particularly high, for example outside transport hubs and major shopping areas”.

The agreement was described as “long term”, with initial sites set to go live this summer and deployment expected to complete in 2020.

O2 added small cells will also lay the foundations for “rapid deployment of 5G connectivity when it becomes available”.

An O2 research report recently stated that 5G will “update the operating system” of UK cities, making them smarter, creating benefits for citizens and local councils and generating £6 billion [in] productivity savings the UK economy.

Brendan O’Reilly, CTO at O2, believes a collaborative effort with industry partners, regulators and governments will help the “UK maintain the digital leadership we have all worked so hard to establish”.

“National 5G infrastructure – when it arrives in a few years time – will not only have a crucial impact to our economy, it will change the way we live our lives,” he added.

A report earlier this year by the Small Cell Forum predicted global small cell deployments will move beyond the 70 million mark by 2025, with 5G tipped to play a major role in the growth.