AT&T to start testing small, short-range cell sites this year to boost network coverage

AT&T is going to start testing small cells "later this year and into next year" to improve its network coverage and capacity, the company reiterated at CTIA. The miniature, short-range cell sites can be deployed at a fraction of the cost of a traditional tower. AT&T announced it was planning tests this year, and Cisco announced it was working with AT&T on developing small cells, at MWC in February. However, AT&T hasn't made clear the particular type of hardware (3G, 4G, etc.) it's planning to test. Small cells can be deployed in a wide variety of settings, like the sides of lamp posts, allowing telecoms to increase network coverage by filling in holes between their bigger, "macro" cell tower... »read more

More at: TheVerge Add additional source