‘Small Cells’ Are the Talk of the Wireless Industry, as Exemplified by this Pennsylvania Project

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Small cell antennas and Distributed Antenna Systems are making a greater impact on local government decision-making. Frequently, wireless providers are seeking to install antennas on streetlights and other near-to-home locations in neighborhoods.

Scranton, Pennsylvania, ‘Small Cell’ Antennas Anticipate Needs of Increasingly Connected Communities | Wireless companies are becoming more useful with the growth of new technologies, and in Scranton, these wireless systems are in high demand, from the Times-Tribune

Newer technologies such as drones and driverless vehicles prompted two wireless communications companies to propose small-area cell antennas on existing streetlights and utility poles in 16 locations in Scranton.

They expect demand from next-generation wireless systems and emerging technologies, including “internetworked” buildings, electronics and appliances called the “Internet of Things,” and environmental sensor networks.

The spate of “small cell” antennas targeting relatively small areas reflects a trend by wireless firms to improve their network capabilities, often in urban areas where demand can strain capacity and geography can present coverage challenges.

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Source: Scranton, Pa., ‘Small Cell’ Antennas Anticipate Needs of Increasingly Connected Communities