American Tower Corporation and Philips Lighting are developing 4G/5G enabled LED smart light poles for roadways, streets and parking lots to improve wireless access in urban areas while also providing quality energy-efficient lighting.
“As the demand for wireless broadband continues to grow, Wireless Carriers need a repeatable, scalable way to densify networks quickly,” says Steven Marshall, President U.S. Tower, a division of American Tower Corporation. “Our alliance with Philips Lighting brings Wireless Carriers access to premium pre-approved sites, with a smart pole that aesthetically blends into urban locations, delivering wireless broadband hidden in plain sight.”
Equipped with a fully integrated, state-of-the-art antenna, the new smart pole will access multiple radio configurations in a single structure. Multiple Wireless Carriers can easily install radio equipment including 4G and 5G small cell radio equipment with the plug-n-play design, all without adding urban clutter, changing the city landscape, or affecting the aesthetics of a neighborhood. Additionally, the lighting on each smart pole can be monitored and managed remotely to optimize energy savings and reduce maintenance costs with the Philips CityTouch connected street lighting management system.
“Lighting is an essential part of the urban landscape and one of the most valuable assets to help accelerate cities’ digital transformation,” says Olivia Qiu, Chief Innovation Officer at Philips Lighting. “Combining Philips Lighting’s energy-efficient and connected LED street lighting with American Tower’s shared infrastructure expertise will help speed up a city’s ability to deploy new technologies that improve public safety and civic services.”
