Cellnex has bolstered its 5G connectivity across Barcelona's seafront in preparation for the America's Cup, which is set to conclude next month.

The Spanish infrastructure company has deployed a distributed mini antenna system (outdoor DAS) across 3.5km of Barcelona's beachfront to provide a 5G boost along the coastline.

Cellnex_Barcelona_DAS
– Cellnex

Cellnex said that the DAS can provide coverage running from Sant Sebastià beach to Mar Bella beach passing through the beaches of Sant Miquel, Barceloneta, Somorrostro, Nova Icària, and Bogatell.

The company has installed the DAS on physical street furniture along Barcelona's beaches, while the infrastructure has been designed to stay in place permanently, even once the event is over.

The purpose of the DAS is to provide mobile coverage in locations that are typically difficult to extend coverage to.

"DAS systems serve to reinforce the connectivity of any mobile operator in areas with a high influx and concentration of people, such as the Barcelona coastline," said Marta Rubí, commercial director of public administration, Cellnex Spain.

"We are also deploying such solutions in urban centers, stadiums, shopping centers, large buildings, networks, and metro stations, among other locations, which allow us to expand and densify the capacity of the network to provide the public with good connectivity at all times."

Cellnex currently manages a portfolio of more than 138,000 sites – including planned roll-outs up to 2030 – in 12 European countries.

The company has sold a number of assets in the last 12 months. In March, it agreed to sell its Irish unit to Phoenix Tower International (PTI) for €971m ($1.08bn). That deal is currently being probed by Irish regulators. Last month, Cellnex agreed to sell its Austrian business for €803 million ($896m).

The company was also linked with a sale of its Polish business operations earlier this year, in a deal valuing the assets at €3 billion ($3.35bn) excluding debt.

Last year, Cellnex agreed to sell a 49 percent stake in its Sweden and Denmark subsidiaries to Stonepeak for €730 million ($815m).