Verizon has had a big change of heart when it comes to small cells, which it once said wouldn’t have a big impact on its network. Not only is it using the tiny base stations to blanket San Francisco’s tech corridors with LTE capacity, it has begun experimenting with indoor small architectures, specifically Ericsson’s new Radio Dot system.
So far Verizon only has the Dot system up in its regional HQ in Southfield, Michigan, but it’s the first use in the U.S. of Ericsson’s new small cell architecture, which allows to building owners or carriers to install an indoor mobile network as easily as a Wi-Fi system.
Ericsson’s Radio Dot
There’s no word from Verizon on when and if it plans to install Dots in other buildings, but it definitely seems to have gotten small cell religion in the last year. The technology allows it to surgically insert capacity into its networks without building new towers or acquiring new spectrum. The end result for consumers is more LTE capacity and speeds in high-trafficked areas where you’d usually expect to find congested networks. In addition to San Francisco, it’s installing outdoor small cells in New York City, Chicago and Phoenix.
