With the vast majority of the U.S. population currently under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order, numerous tower sites are in exhaust of capacity, demonstrating a need to add carriers to offload the existing traffic for data purposes. Wireless site development firm NB+C has been involved in several COVID-19 projects and initiatives for emergency capacity and coverage issues throughout their geographic footprint.
Most recently, the company assisted at Fort Indiantown Gap, an active National Guard Training Center that serves as the headquarters for the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is considered the busiest Air National Guard training installation in the nation and supports COVID-19 relief efforts across the state. The post, located in Lebanon County, PA, includes 18,000 acres (73 km2), with numerous ranges and training areas.
An immediate need for temporary emergency connectivity in areas within the post lacking coverage became apparent and within two weeks, NB+C set up a COLT (Cell on Light Truck) and two temporary small cell sites on the base. The sites provided coverage to meeting rooms and office spaces of high-ranking officials that previously had very limited coverage, if any. This enabled the wireless connectivity for essential operational calls and updates on internal projects.
The company said completing sites within a two-week timeframe is normally unheard of but had become necessary to ensure communications remain open and available during the pandemic.
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