NEWS

Those black cylinders downtown aren’t traffic cams

Timothy Meinch

No, those aren’t new traffic cameras mounted on light posts in downtown Des Moines.

The black cylinder-shaped boxes being installed this week are actually Verizon wireless antennas that will be boosting 4G LTE service in Des Moines.

Verizon calls the devices “small cells.” They’re packed with a radio, antenna, power and a fiber connection that taps into utility poles.

Five of them have been placed downtown — look above the intersection of Locust Street and Fifth Avenue — as the first location for the new technology in Iowa.

“These small cells are strategically positioned within Verizon’s existing network coverage area to add additional 4G LTE capacity where it’s needed — in heavily trafficked areas,” Verizon spokeswoman Karen Smith said.

In the months ahead, more devices will be installed in Des Moines and West Des Moines through partnerships with the cities and utility companies.

The new small cell technology integrates with macro cells to create what the company calls a “hub and spoke” model. Ultimately it creates expanded capacity for phone service in especially populated areas, like business districts and malls.

The arrival of small cells in Des Moines follows the launch of XLTE service last year, which doubled data capacity in Verizon’s 4G LTE network.