Carriers look to small cells to densify network coverage, particularly in metro areas
With small cells emerging as the go-to technology for carriers looking to densify mobile networks, Verizon Wireless is making moves this week by adding a dozen small cells to Grant Park in Chicago.
The deployment comes ahead of the Lollapalooza music festival, which is set for July 31-Aug. 2 with Paul McCartney and Metallica among the headlining acts.
Earlier in the year, the No. 1 domestic carrier announced that $500 million of a planned $17.5 billion capital outlay in 2015 will go toward network densification, which is driven by small cell deployments.
In addition to Chicago, New York and Boston are likely cities for further small cell deployments, particularly in markets where spectrum is scarce. Following the Auction 97 proceedings, Verizon Wireless did not gain access to then-available 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum in the two Eastern metropolises.
Verizon Wireless Region President Brian Pascoe told the Fox Chicago affiliate that the small cells would add additional 4G LTE capacity.
“Data use grows almost exponentially when you have a lot of people congregated in one location over the course of three days,” he said, referencing the upcoming festival.
“This recent addition of small cells to Grant Park is part of a two-year plan to more than double our already existing 134 small cells in the city of Chicago,” he said, adding that the small cells are installed on street light poles or traffic light infrastructure in an effort to make the equipment blend in to the existing streetscape.
Verizon Wireless also claims the first domestic deployment with the installation of Ericsson’s Radio Dot System at its regional headquarters in Southfield, Mich.
Although Sprint hasn’t detailed its small cell plans, many industry watchers suggest the carrier is planning on a major rollout comprising a potential 70,000 small cell sites.
