What is a small cell wireless facility?

A small cell wireless facility is cell site designed to provide service coverage and capacity in areas where traditional “macro” wireless facilities either cannot reach or cannot provide users with broadband-level services. These facilities are able to reuse licensed spectrum bands more frequently, with lower output power and a shorter distance between the user and the network access point. Small cell wireless facilities have a shorter coverage area than larger macro cell sites and are usually installed closer to one another to provide a desired coverage and capacity level. The range for small cell wireless facilities vary from a few hundred feet to upwards of 1,000 feet, depending on terrain, vegetation, and the radio frequencies used. These facilities are to add capacity in high-traffic areas, dense urban areas, and suburban communities, where people are using smartphones and other devices, and are not a substitute for macrocell sites. Small cell wireless facilities can include 4G and 5G antennas and other equipment.

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