Improved Cellular Coverage Coming To Parts of Wellesley

American Tower Corporation (“ATC”) and the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant (“WMLP”) are in the final stages of completing the deployment of a distributed antenna system (“DAS”). All that is left is the installation of 48 antennas and the completion of the hub. Forty-five antennas will be mounted on WMLP poles and the remaining three will be placed within the Babson College campus. A map of the location of the antennas can be found on the WMLP website.

At this time one of the major cellular carriers has expressed an interest in the 48 locations. The carrier has asked to remain confidential until the DAS network is fully operational which is anticipated to occur during the first quarter of 2016. The DAS installation consists of a four-foot antenna mounted at the top of an existing WMLP pole. The antenna is surrounded by a shroud that is the same circumference as the pole. The shroud and ancillary equipment will be painted brown to blend in with the pole as much as possible.

The WMLP has been experimenting with a pole-mounted, wireless technology since 2007 that provides cellular coverage without the need to install large cell towers. There are many areas in Wellesley that have little or no cell coverage. As the use of wireless technology continues to expand even those locations that currently have coverage will likely experience degradation in quality as a result of the additional bandwidth required.