5G Technology Invading Baltimore; Some Call It An Eyesore
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- You could soon find an even faster connection on your cell phone in Baltimore.
An FCC commissioner was in town Thursday to talk about 5G technology.
You may not have even noticed them--but there are about 500 small cell boxes on light poles across the city.
T-mobile talked futuristic tech Thursday with the FCC commissioner.
"So, 3G, 4G mobile has been marked by those large towers, we're moving into 5G where 80 percent of the deployments for 5G are going to be these small cells," said Brendan Carr of the FCC.
The 5G technology brings faster internet speeds and more accurate location data. Some communities nationwide have pushed back, calling the devices an eyesore.
Most people, haven't even noticed.
"Oh. I never did notice it," one said.
"Really no opinion, because I've never noticed them before," another said.
Some blend in well. They're paint brown or green in certain areas.
"It doesn't really bother me. I guess maybe in some settings, you'd notice it more," one woman said. "But here, I don't think it's that noticeable."
"Well, in this part of town, I don't think it makes a big difference," one man said. "But there might be some parts of town where it might be an eyesore."
There are already another 583 broadband-boosting installations in the works in Baltimore.
"Our hope then is that we'll see a lot more of these small cells deployed, which will get better, faster, cheaper broadband to more consumers," Carr said.
Baltimore hasn't had a coordinated pushback against the technology, but later this month, the FCC will vote on streamlining the process of environmental and historical approvals nationwide.
Each box can take up to 18 months to install, from planning to construction.
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