Ericsson and Freshwave launch shared indoor 5G platform in the UK

Ericsson and Freshwave is a BTW intelligence profile anchored in public article evidence, object context, event links, and relationship watchpoints.

•The "5G on Omni" platform delivers multi-operator 4G and 5G coverage inside UK buildings via shared infrastructure. •A shared-neutral-host model cuts energy use by around 50% and lets landlords scale coverage with a pay-as-you-occupy pricing structure. What happened Ericsson and Freshwave have launched "5G on Omni", a shared indoor connectivity platform designed to deliver 4G and 5G coverage from all UK mobile operators through a single system. The solution uses Ericsson's Radio Dot System to provide multi-operator coverage inside buildings, addressing persistent indoor signal gaps.

The platform extends Freshwave's Omni Network, which has already delivered indoor 4G across more than 6 million square feet of UK commercial space since 2024. The upgraded system adds 5G capability and supports operators including EE, O2 and Vodafone Three on the same infrastructure layer. The service is already live at Workspace's Record Hall in London, where tenants can access consistent mobile coverage regardless of provider. Freshwave is targeting sectors such as finance, retail and enterprise offices, with further deployments planned in 2026.

The companies said the shared model reduces duplication of infrastructure, cuts energy consumption by around 50%, and simplifies deployment through a fully managed service. A flexible "pay-as-you-occupy" pricing model allows landlords and tenants to scale coverage based on demand. Why it's important Indoor connectivity remains one of the biggest structural gaps in 5G deployment. Most mobile data traffic originates indoors, yet networks still rely heavily on outdoor macro sites. This creates a mismatch between usage and coverage that limits both performance and enterprise adoption.

The Ericsson–Freshwave model signals a shift towards neutral host infrastructure, where connectivity is delivered as a shared service rather than owned by individual operators. This reduces capital intensity and accelerates rollout, but also begins to separate network ownership from service delivery. That shift has strategic implications. Operators gain faster access to indoor coverage but lose some control over infrastructure. Meanwhile, third-party providers like Freshwave move up the value chain, positioning themselves as critical intermediaries in enterprise connectivity. The economic case is also material.

Freshwave estimates that eliminating indoor coverage gaps could unlock up to £70 billion in productivity gains for the UK economy. Lower deployment costs and faster rollout could make high-quality indoor 5G viable across a much wider range of buildings. More broadly, reliable indoor networks underpin emerging use cases such as smart buildings, automation and AI-driven operations. Without consistent indoor coverage, these applications struggle to scale. This suggests the next phase of 5G will be defined less by geographic expansion and more by depth of coverage in high-value indoor environments.

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