Virgin Media O2 has paired with infrastructure-as-a-service provider Ontix to deploy small cells across Plymouth, UK.

The carrier announced it has worked with Ontix to deploy six new small cells across the city.

Small cells are designed to boost mobile capacity and reduce network traffic in busy areas.

Virgin Media O2 previously partnered with Ontix last year to deploy small cells in Reading and Birmingham.

The carrier revealed that the small cells have been deployed at the Drake Circus shopping center and the Theatre Royal, two of the city's busiest attractions.

Outdoor small cells are typically fixed to existing street furniture, such as lampposts.

They are seen as a simpler alternative to bulkier telecom infrastructure, which might look out of place or draw criticism from residents. 

"At Virgin Media O2, we are investing around £2 million per day and constantly innovating to bring reliable mobile coverage to all our customers. These small cells, powered by our existing fiber network, will improve the mobile experience in some of Plymouth’s most popular locations," said Dr Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering, at O2.

Laura Fernandez, CEO, Ontix added: "By integrating small cell technology with their established fiber network, we've created a blueprint for urban connectivity that can be replicated across other UK cities. We're focused on creating infrastructure models that deliver immediate connectivity benefits for consumers and long-term flexibility for future emerging technologies."

Virgin Media has also worked with Mavenir Telecom and Freshwave to deploy small cells across other parts of the UK.

Earlier this month, the telco announced plans to invest £700 million ($902m) into its mobile network this year in an effort to improve its reliability, speed, and coverage across the UK.

The figure equates to around £2 million ($2.58m) a day, the operator said.