AT&T deploys Cell on Wheels in $475 Million Network Upgrade in San Antonio.  Cell on Wheels are often used to provide cellular coverage during a network upgrade.

Exert from Article:

SAN ANTONIO, June 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — At AT&T1, we’ve invested more than $475 million in our San Antonio area wireless and wired networks during 2013 -2015. These investments drive upgrades to enhance reliability, coverage, speed and overall performance for residents and businesses. They also enhance critical services that support public safety and first responders.

In 2015, AT&T made a number of wireless network upgrades in the San Antonio area, adding 7 cell sites and other enhancements to keep San Antonio residents connected, whether at home or on the go.

“Investments in smart networks empower the innovation of today and help better position San Antonio’s consumers and businesses for success tomorrow,” said Renée Flores, regional vice president, external and legislative affairs, AT&T. “We commend our leaders at the state and local level for their work in creating a positive economic environment that encourages continued investment and innovation in San Antonio and across Texas.”

“Continued and strong investment in our local communications infrastructure has led to the outstanding innovations and booming  growth in San Antonio’s tech sector that have earned our city the reputation as an emerging tech hub,” said San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor. “We appreciate AT&T’s commitment to and investment in our community.”

The AT&T LTE network covers 365 million people in North America. In 2015, we made these San Antonio network enhancements:

  • The addition of a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) to increase mobile broadband and Wi-Fi services. A new DAS installation at North Star Mall, for instance, increases capacity for shoppers in this busy area.
  • An expanded HD Voice network. HD Voice enables crystal clear conversations while surfing the web at 4G LTE speeds.

AT&T also made a number of temporary network upgrades in San Antonio to ensure fast, reliable connections at popular festivals, which often spur spikes in data usage with social posts and streaming video. These network upgrades include deploying temporary cell sites, known as “Cell on Wheels” or “COWs” in high traffic locations. COWs feature some of the highest capacity antennas in our fleet – including the Giant Eyeball Antenna (also known as the Luneburg Lens Antenna)….