Network Densification, Redesigned for the Real World
The demand for ubiquitous 5G coverage is driving a critical need for intelligent, scalable network densification. But when it comes to deployment, a familiar set of challenges arise: space constraints, regulatory bottlenecks, visual impact concerns, and cost pressures.
That’s why Alpha Wireless developed the AW4032 Fusion Streetworks. The first-of-its-kind modular antenna platform that redefines how small cells are deployed. Purpose-built to integrate with existing urban infrastructure, the AW4032 addresses the functional and aesthetic demands of city planners, operators, and the public alike.
Engineered for the Urban Environment
Part of the Fusion Streetworks Platform, the AW4032 takes a modular, wrap-around approach that enables seamless mid-pole mounting and concealment of small cell antennas on existing streetworks infrastructure, such as lamp-posts and signage. Unlike traditional side-arm-mounted solutions, the AW4032 is designed as two interlocking segments that create a low-profile enclosure around streetlight poles and other vertical assets.
This integrated design eliminates bulky protrusions and avoids visual clutter – two of the biggest friction points in site permitting and community acceptance. By hiding in plain sight, the AW4032 allows operators to install quickly, win municipal support, and deploy where 5G is needed most.
Explore the design breakthrough that made this possible:
Alpha Wireless enhances small cell Fusion Platform with breakthrough antenna design
Concealed. Compact. Connected
Despite its compact form, the AW4032 delivers robust performance. It supports dual-band operation (1695–2690 MHz and 3300–4200 MHz) with 4×4 MIMO per band, offering maximum throughput and highly reliable mid-band 5G coverage.
Internally, an advanced system of signal splitters and combiners enables each port to serve both front and rear-facing antenna sections—creating either back-to-back or full 360° coverage. This architectural innovation helps reduce interference and enables operators to optimise signal propagation without sacrificing design integrity.
Future-Proof Your Network and Investments
What truly sets the AW4032 apart is its adaptability. Operators can deploy the antenna in a basic back-to-back configuration and later upgrade to omnidirectional coverage, without replacing the hardware. A simple re-cabling is all that’s required to adapt to evolving network demands.
This design also enables multi-operator sharing. A single AW4032 installation can serve multiple tenants, eliminating infrastructure redundancy while boosting cost-efficiency, a vital capability for neutral hosts and shared infrastructure strategies.
With these built-in upgrade paths, operators protect their investment and reduce long-term capital and operational expenses.
Solving Real-World Deployment Challenges
By leveraging existing urban assets and reducing physical footprint, the AW4032 tackles some of the most persistent barriers to small cell rollout:
- Permitting and zoning: The concealed, streetworks-compatible design significantly shortens approval timelines by aligning with municipal aesthetic and structural standards
- Space constraints: Mid-pole mounting allows installations in crowded urban areas where ground or rooftop access is limited
- Deployment speed: The modular build supports fast, minimally disruptive field installation
- Logistical efficiency: Lightweight construction reduces wind loading and structural stress, key considerations in pole-mounted applications
Our design approach removes key friction points across the deployment lifecycle. From planning and permitting to installation and operation.
Field-Proven by Leading Operators
The AW4032 isn’t a concept—it’s a proven solution. It has been successfully trialled and deployed by several leading mobile network operators and neutral hosts, including Three UK, Boldyn Networks, and Freshwave.
In central Birmingham, UK, Virgin Media O2, in collaboration with Ontix, deployed the AW4032 as part of the country’s first live 5G standalone small cell trial. Installed on existing street furniture, the platform delivered up to 300 Mbps of high-speed connectivity in high-traffic urban areas, while maintaining architectural harmony with its surroundings.
Read more about this deployment milestone:
Virgin Media O2 launches UK’s first 5G SA small cells
Quantifying the Innovation Investment
To bring the AW4032 to market, Alpha Wireless committed 15% of its annual revenue to research and development over the past year. This investment was targeted at two core challenges in telecom:
- Deployment logistics – By designing lightweight, modular hardware, we simplified the integration process and removed traditional physical constraints
- Performance under concealment – Our engineering team focused on maintaining high antenna performance within a compact, enclosed form factor
These R&D priorities directly addressed operator needs in the field and have already delivered measurable gains in deployment speed, permitting success, and network performance.
Densification, Delivered
The AW4032 Fusion is more than an antenna—it’s a catalyst for progress. It enables operators to densify 5G networks faster, more efficiently, and with fewer compromises. From its conformant form factor and mid-band capabilities to its future-proof architecture, the AW4032 is shaping the future of small cell deployments.
Whether you’re planning your first wave of 5G small cells or looking to expand existing coverage without disrupting the streetscape, the AW4032 provides a clear path forward—one that’s designed for performance, engineered for flexibility, and built for the real world.