AT&T is increasing its cellular communications capacity in downtown San Diego to serve the tens of thousands of people expected to arrive later this week for Comic-Con International.
The wireless company is setting up portable cellular base stations and offering free Wi-Fi to handle some of the load:
- A “Super COLT” (Cell on Light Truck) at the San Diego Convention Center
- A “Super COW” (Cell on Wheels) in the Gaslamp Quarter
- Free Wi-Fi for AT&T customers inside the convention center
AT&T said innovative, multi-beam antenna technology gives the portable cell sites their “super” status – with each cell site providing network capacity double that of traditional, single beam antennas. As a result, the company will have double the 4G LTE capacity in the area compared to last year.
“Events like Comic-Con International are full of memorable moments that our customers want to share through text messages, pictures, status updates on social media and phone calls,” said Tammi Terrell, At&T vice president and general manager for the southwest and Hawaii. “We’ve been hard at work to help provide great coverage and fast speeds at Comic-Con International.”
The following map shows AT&T’s plans for the downtown area during Comic-Con:
