New Orleans is one of many cities making the move from 4G to 5G, but citizens want to make sure the historic character of the town remains unchanged. Concerned citizens spoke with WWL-TV about the look of their city.
“We’re a 300-year-old neighborhood,” said Ken Caron of New Orleans. “We want to keep that character. People don’t come here because of the latest and the greatest. They come to the French Quarter because it’s historic.”
Plans to introduce better connectivity to the town include installing more lampposts, that are actually cell towers in disguise. Original plans focused on poles that were designed for function rather than fashion. “We initially started with the 20-foot gargantuan poles that had cabinets on them that were as big a kitchen cabinet,” VCPORA [Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents & Associates] Board President Amy Stelly said. “We have seen drawings of the proposals and they are far different now than they were when we started.
The re-designed 5G cell tower poles will be taller than the current 4G poles. There are plans to install 100 of them. “Height is an issue in the Quarter when it comes to balconies and galleries,” said Stelly. “So, we are definitely working toward getting solutions that work with all of the architecture of the French Quarter.”
City government and civic organizations have been working together to find a solution that will deliver the 5G service people want without compromising the unique appearance of New Orleans. “Once you step outside,” said FQBA [French Quarter Business Association] Executive Director Brittany Mulla McGovern, “that’s when that 5G technology will come into play. So those large-scale festivals, sports events, when we have people on the street, Mardi Gras, that’s when it’s really going to assist the visitors and the residents who live in the French Quarter.”
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