“The analog light pole has evolved right here in Los Angeles,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “L.A. is a world leader in LED street lights and has more poles than any other city in America. We are now taking advantage of previously untapped real estate to give our streets better broadband connectivity and future-ready infrastructure, while generating revenue for the city. This project shows what smart infrastructure can do for Los Angeles: create jobs, save tax payer dollars, and improve our environment.”
The SmartPoles use small cell technology – similar to femtocells used in homes and small business – to provide wider mobile broadband coverage and boost capacity of wireless network providers. The entire project is self-funding due to leasing agreements on the “valuable digital real estate on top of city light poles.”