Cell Phone Carriers Truck in Signal Boosters For Coachella Fans

Tens of thousands of music lovers will be near Palm Desert this weekend, at the first installment of Coachella.

And as an estimated 80,000 fans pack the Empire Polo fields, it's safe to say that nearly all of them will be armed with a cell phone.  That could create a strain on local networks as those fans share with the social media world their experiences through calls, texts, photos and videos.

But at least two of the major providers– AT&T and Verizon– will be bring in the COWs.

No, not those kind of cows. 

They've trucked in a different type of COW– or Cell on Wheels.  Both carriers tell Palm Desert Patch they've set up in strategic locations around Coachella, and will remain there for the second weekend of the festival, along with Stagecoach.

AT&T representatives say that millions of uploads were made via their network from the event last year.

"Last year, music fans packed the first weekend of the annual Festival and didn’t miss a beat communicating their own reviews through 537 million uploads and downloads as well as 62 million texts," the organization stated.

AT&T says they've brought out 5 COWs, while Verizon has three, along with other technical support equipment.

As Verizon Wireless Spokesman Ken Muche explained, the devices add capacity to the already existing network in the Coachella Valley, effectively "widening the highway" so more data can pass through.

"Once your on [the network], because of the lack of congestion, you'll have speed," Muche said of the Verizon 4G LTE service.

"We’re trying to provide a consistent experience. We want our customers to have the same experience at major events as they would anywhere else on the network," added Lowell Handy, director of Network Engineering for Verizon Wireless Southern California.

According to a company that analyzes wireless use and coverage, the top providers in the Indio area are (in this order): Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint.

We want to hear from YOU.  Does it seem like you're getting a better– or worse– signal in town this weekend?