Georgia Power announces wireless co-location on select towers

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Georgia Power and Southern Telecom, both subsidiaries of Southern Company, unveiled GeorgiaÂ’s first wireless co-location program. The program allows wireless providers to co-locate communications infrastructure, such as antennas, on select Georgia Power electric transmission facilities.

“Rather than build costly new towers in congested areas, the co-location program allows wireless companies to take advantage of the hundreds of existing structures throughout Georgia Power’s footprint,” said W. Scott Hall, Georgia Power project manager. “Not only does this save time and improve coverage but it also avoids cluttering the skyline with additional wireless towers, thereby maximizing the available green space for our environment.”

In December 2006, Commissioner Stan Wise asked Georgia Power to investigate the feasibility of allowing wireless co-locations on Transmission towers. In February, Georgia Power and the Georgia Public Service Commission reached an agreement to launch the stateÂ’s first wireless co-location program. As part of the agreement, Southern Telecom will manage the requests from wireless carriers that choose to participate in the co-location program.

“With more than 260 million wireless subscribers in the United States today, wireless usage is at an all-time high,” said Ben H. Easterling, business development manager, Southern Telecom. “Thanks to the new co-location program, Georgia Power and Southern Telecom will be able to provide cellular carriers in Georgia with a viable and alternative way to improve coverage so that wireless customers can stay even more connected to friends, family members and business associates.”

Outside of Georgia, there are wireless co-location programs in 11 other states including California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“Using their robust network of facilities and fiber infrastructure, utilities are in the unique position to provide reliable support for commercial wireless carriers in the areas of antenna siting, backhaul and construction,” said Ron Bilodeau, Nevada Power Company and chairman of Utilisite Council.

Related News

nissan vehicle to grid connection

Vehicle-to-grid could be ‘capacity on wheels’ for electricity networks

WASHINGTON - “There are already many Gigawatt-hours of batteries on wheels”, which could be used to provide balance and flexibility to electrical grids, if the “ultimate potential” of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology could be harnessed.

That’s according to a panel of experts and stakeholders convened by our sister site Current±, which covers the business models and technologies inherent to the low carbon transition to decentralised and clean energy. Focusing mainly on the UK but opening up the conversation to other territories and the technologies themselves, representatives including distribution network operator (DNO) Northern Powergrid’s policy and markets director and Nissan Europe’s director of…

READ MORE
 Illinois Could Challenge New York in Utility Innovation

With New Distributed Energy Rebate, Illinois Could Challenge New York in Utility Innovation

READ MORE

puerto rico solar power panels

Canadian Solar and Tesla contribute to resilient electricity system for Puerto Rico school

READ MORE

us grid and climate change

The biggest problem facing the U.S. electric grid isn't demand. It's climate change

READ MORE

greenland ice sheet

The UK’s energy plan is all very well but it ignores the forecast rise in global sea-levels

READ MORE