Small Cells

[vryan44]

Does anybody know what kind of plan Sprint has in deploying small cells?

 

In this article, I am assuming at&t has already started deploying small cells around Wrigleyville. Based on how the author describes the mobile sites. They are being "placed on existing structures", and can be as small as a laptop." To me it sounds likes a small cell rather than a macrocell. I could be wrong though.

 

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130401/wrigleyville/att-adds-more-internet-service-wrigleyville

[digiblur]

I haven't heard anything but I did see an odd AT&T site the other day. In between two rural towns AT&T had installed a large cabinet and an small array of antennas on the telephone pole on the side of the highway. Looked like a install you would see in a dense urban city, not out in a rural area. Seemed so out of place but I guess it was cheaper to do this instead of a full site.

[miguell2]

Various carriers usually deploy COW type towers around the national mall when there are big events or over the summer because of the influx of people. I am guessing you are talking about more permanent towers.

[vryan44]

I haven't heard anything but I did see an odd AT&T site the other day. In between two rural towns AT&T had installed a large cabinet and an small array of antennas on the telephone pole on the side of the highway. Looked like a install you would see in a dense urban city, not out in a rural area. Seemed so out of place but I guess it was cheaper to do this instead of a full site.

 

I have seen some sites like this in northern michigan along some rural highways, with two panels facing in each direction of the highway. Probably att as well.

[WiWavelength]

I haven't heard anything but I did see an odd AT&T site the other day. In between two rural towns AT&T had installed a large cabinet and an small array of antennas on the telephone pole on the side of the highway. Looked like a install you would see in a dense urban city, not out in a rural area. Seemed so out of place but I guess it was cheaper to do this instead of a full site.

 

I would guess that was a small fill in site. Do the two rural towns have one site each? My supposition would be that, originally, those two sites were sufficient to cover the highway in between as well. But as traffic increased over the years on those two sites, cell shrinkage created a potential coverage gap along the highway.

 

AJ

[4ginnc]

I thought this was the real reason for "cell shrinkage"?

 

[WiWavelength]

I thought this was the real reason for "cell shrinkage"?

 

Yes, going swimming, too, can "shortchange" the size of a cell.

 

 

AJ