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posted by janrinok on Sunday November 08 2015, @05:38PM   Printer-friendly
from the maybe dept.

Cities beefing up their smart infrastructure have tapped the ubiquitous streetlamp to track traffic data and measure pollution. Now, in Los Angeles, some streetlights will help keep the communications network intact after an emergency.

LA is the first city in the world to install Philips-branded SmartPoles, which are outfitted with 4G LTE wireless technology by Ericsson to help boost broadband coverage throughout the city. Each pole is connected to the network by a fiber link, which helps keep a steady connection. The location of the poles—which are closer to the streets and sidewalks where people are actually using their phones than central cell towers—gives the network the advantage of being more equally dispersed across the region. That gives people more bars in some of the denser areas of the city, for example.

While better day-to-day cell service is a great feature, the real benefit here in LA is that the system won't be as likely to be knocked out by, I dunno, say, a major earthquake.

It would be more useful if they had solar panels and/or battery packs to self-power when the grid goes down...


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  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday November 08 2015, @06:55PM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Sunday November 08 2015, @06:55PM (#260438) Journal

    Just a note: There is a reason you are told never to touch a downed power line. "Dead" lines often carry voltage. I've had power go out at the plant, and all the lights are out, all the equipment is dead cold. Probe a line with my Fluke, and I find voltage.

    So - how much power does it take to keep a wifi up and running?

    You are still right though - you don't rely on the power from the grid when it has been disrupted. At best, you'll get spotty coverage where ever the lines are least damaged.

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  • (Score: 2) by VLM on Sunday November 08 2015, @07:13PM

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Sunday November 08 2015, @07:13PM (#260449)

    "Dead" lines often carry voltage.

    The telecom world is the same, our stuff often has power on it, enough to kill.

    Its funny (in a pitiful sense) trying to talk to normies about it. So how ya know its a dead line? Uhhh its not sparking. Well that line on the pole right now is carrying 90 volts at enough amps to kill you to power a mid span repeater, and its not sparking, so you're telling me its currently dead because its not sparking? Uhhh but the line is broken and laying on the ground. And you know which direction along the line we installed the power supply because? Uhhhhh ...

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @08:29PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @08:29PM (#260485)
      For a high voltage power line even if they cut off the power it may still be holding enough charge to kill.

      And even if the electric company has cut the power, someone else might be running a generator, screwed up the wiring so it's illegally backfeeding...