Lawmakers look to ‘small cell’ tech for rural high-speed internet answers

Getting high-speed internet service into less-populated areas of Georgia remains a top priority of the House Rural Development Council, although providers have yet to propose an overall fix.Towers aren’t going away but small cells — “about the size of garbage cans,” Lumsden said — can be added to increase capacity and coverage in targeted areas. They’re mounted on poles in the public rights of way and can serve customers in a radius of 500 to 1,200 feet.Lumsden said future advancements are expected to bring devices attached to power lines that will add even more capacity as the demand for service continues to increase.“It will give providers the ability to build out their networks in a more cost-effective way than they’ve ever had before,” he said. “But they have to rely on rights of way and that’s where the rub seems to be.”Local governments have control over their rights of way and are unwilling to give that up. Rome City Commissioners discussing the issue said they welcome the service but have concerns about the potential for unsightly transmitters every quarter-mile, especially in historic districts.