We Have Seen the Future...

Last issue PlanWireless asked the question "Have we seen the future?" and we left the answer up in the air.  We do believe, however, that imposing a height limit of 50 feet will not eliminate towers.  The wireless industry will continue to insist that tall heights are imperative for propagation (not true) and variances will continue to be granted by cities and counties to wireless companies.

What PlanWireless does believe is the evidence shown in the photograph.  Personal wireless service facilities will be increasingly mounted on utility poles at lower and lower heights (see large arrow).  While the pictured low-mounted personal wireless service facility will not serve as large an area as a tower mount, the reason for shorter heights is not related to signal strength.  The determining factor for low antennas – and therefore reduced spacing between cell sites – is the need for bandwidth.  So, the next carrier is quite close (see small arrow).

A carrier may be able to transceive CDMA or GSM signals for several miles.  But as these Second Generation (2G) technologies give way to Third Generation (3G) technologies, the need for lower antennas and equipment, as seen in the photographs is imperative.  The upper antennas seen on this page are still needed for voice, but now data requires more expensive – and lower-mounted –equipment.  

In order for the cell site to keep the fast moving data users apart, a lower antenna actually detects each user (whether in an automobile or a single family house) and separates them out.  The Multiple User Detection (MUD) function can use different frequencies than the rest of the cell site but one thing is certain: much more bandwidth will be needed and that increased bandwidth will only be effective for short distances.

The photograph on this page shows a lower antenna that is actually at the seven- to eight-foot high level.  Note the radiation symbol (at arrow) and remember that the emissions are lower due to decreased power needed for shorter distances.

This is not Buck Rogers.  This is a working cell site in a low density community in California and it will be the way in which wireless will be brought into most residential areas across the U.S.

Now, how do cities and counties make money from this trend?

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Kreines & Kreines, Inc.
58 Paseo Mirasol, Tiburon, CA 94920
Phone: (415) 435-9214
Fax: (415) 435-1522
e-mail: mail@planwireless.com