Verizon Taps Small Cells to Boost Coverage in San Francisco as City Booms

Amid San Francisco’s (CA) continued tech boom, wireless carriers are increasingly trying to find new ways to boost coverage without disrupting the city’s iconic views. Verizon is beginning a project to add about 400 “small cells” to boost coverage in the northeast part of the city, where many of the area’s tech companies and workers are located. Small cells have about a quarter of the cost of traditional cells, but only cover about a quarter of the area. In addition, they are significantly smaller, consisting of just two radios and a single antenna and can fit on top of an existing utility pole.

The carrier began notifying residents in some areas this week and hopes to begin installing equipment in the second quarter. The goal is to have all of the upgrades in place by the end of the year, ahead of Super Bowl 50, which is expected to bring a million additional people to San Francisco.