Saudi Arabia 5G Smart Pole Project: 6 Application Scenarios
This case study documents a 5G smart pole deployment in Saudi Arabia, combining LED street lighting, traffic signals, environmental sensors, and 5G small cells on a single pole structure. The project demonstrates GAOQIAO's capability in smart city infrastructure.
Project Background
A major Saudi Arabian city embarked on a smart city initiative requiring 1,200 multifunctional poles across a 50 square kilometer district. Each pole needed to integrate:
- LED street lighting
- Traffic signal heads (at intersections)
- Environmental sensors (air quality, noise, temperature)
- 5G small cell mounting
- Public WiFi access points
- CCTV cameras
- Digital advertising displays
GAOQIAO won the contract for the pole structure, lighting, and signal integration, working with telecom partners for the 5G equipment.
Pole Design
The integrated pole design includes:
- Base structure: 12m hot-dip galvanized steel pole
- Lighting module: 4-arm LED street light (200W total)
- Signal head mounting: Cantilever arm for traffic signals (at intersections)
- 5G small cell mount: 360° antenna mount at 8m height
- Sensor hub: Air quality, noise, temperature at 6m
- WiFi/CCTV: At 5m and 4m respectively
- Cable management: Internal routing with maintenance access panels
Each pole is designed for 25-year service life in Saudi Arabia's harsh climate (50°C+ ambient).
6 Application Scenarios
Scenario 1: Intersection Traffic Management
At intersections, the pole supports:
- Standard 300mm traffic signal heads (red/yellow/green)
- Pedestrian signal heads
- Vehicle detection cameras
- Emergency preemption receivers
GAOQIAO integrated these with the city's adaptive traffic management system, providing real-time traffic flow optimization.
Scenario 2: Highway Monitoring
On main roads, the pole provides:
- 360° CCTV coverage
- Air quality monitoring
- Noise level measurement
- Speed detection (via camera analytics)
The data feeds to the city's central monitoring dashboard.
Scenario 3: Pedestrian Zone
In walkable districts, the pole offers:
- Smart LED lighting (dimming based on pedestrian presence)
- Public WiFi access
- Emergency call button
- Digital wayfinding display
Scenario 4: Parking Management
Near commercial areas, the pole integrates:
- Parking availability sensors
- Dynamic pricing displays
- Payment terminals
- License plate recognition cameras
Scenario 5: Environmental Monitoring
Throughout the district, the pole measures:
- PM2.5 and PM10 air quality
- CO2 and NOx levels
- Ambient temperature and humidity
- Noise levels (dB)
- UV index
Data is published on a public dashboard for citizen awareness.
Scenario 6: Telecom Infrastructure
For 5G coverage, the pole provides:
- Mounting for 3 telecom operators
- Power and fiber connections
- Backup power integration
- Remote monitoring of all equipment
Technical Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Pole height | 12m (customizable 8-15m) |
| Base diameter | 300mm |
| Top diameter | 150mm |
| Wind rating | 60 m/s (Saudi design standard) |
| LED power | 200W (4-arm configuration) |
| Sensor count | 8-12 per pole |
| Power input | 3-phase 380V AC |
| Backup power | 4-hour UPS + generator tie-in |
| Communication | Fiber + 4G/5G backhaul |
| IP rating | IP66 (electronics), IP67 (connectors) |
| Operating temp | -10°C to +65°C |
Project Results
After 18 months of operation:
- 100% uptime across all 1,200 poles
- Average energy consumption: 180W per pole (well below 200W rating)
- 5G coverage: 98% of district at minimum 100 Mbps
- Traffic flow improvement: 23% reduction in average travel time
- Citizen satisfaction: 87% positive feedback
Lessons Learned
Three critical factors for smart pole success:
1. Coordinated design from day one: GAOQIAO worked with telecom and city IT teams simultaneously to ensure structural, electrical, and network requirements were aligned.
2. Maintenance access planning: The pole design includes multiple access panels at different heights, allowing technicians to service equipment without specialized lifts for low components.
3. Future-proofing: Conduit and mounting points for 6G and additional sensors were pre-installed, avoiding costly retrofits.
Apply to Your Smart City Project
GAOQIAO supplies integrated smart pole solutions for:
- 5G infrastructure deployment
- Smart city sensor networks
- Adaptive traffic management
- Public WiFi and digital signage
- Environmental monitoring
Tell us about your city or development project and we will provide an integrated design and quotation.
Get a Quote
Email: sky-sale@njgq.net
WhatsApp/Phone: +86-18805173545
Tel: +86-25-84471080
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum order quantity?
For smart pole projects, typically 50+ poles. We do supply smaller quantities for pilot projects.
Can the pole integrate with existing city systems?
Yes. GAOQIAO supports standard protocols (MQTT, HTTP/REST, LoRaWAN) for integration with most city management platforms.
How is the 5G equipment installed?
The 5G small cells are installed by the telecom operators themselves. GAOQIAO supplies the pole with mounting brackets, power supply, and fiber connection points ready for their equipment.
What about maintenance access?
The pole design includes ground-level access panels and a climbing ladder system with fall protection. Routine maintenance does not require specialized equipment.
Related GAOQIAO Products
These public GAOQIAO catalogue pages are related to this article.
- Traffic signal controllersWired and solar controllers with 6-56 outputs.
- LED signal heads200mm, 300mm, 400mm with EN12368 certification.
- Signal polesVertical, signal arm and double-arm configurations.
- Spare partsLED modules, lenses, visors and accessories.