CoverageCo Wholesale Cellular
The Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) has contracted with CoverageCo, a wholesale cellular service provider out of Cambridge, MA, to provide innovative micro-cell coverage in previously unserved parts of rural Vermont.
The VTA completed testing of this technology on a 5-mile corridor on Route 110 in Orange County in 2013 and found that voice, data and text standards are being met. The service does not currently include Internet browsing.
What Is Micro-Cell Technology?
Two aspects are different from the now familiar cell tower deployment of mobile voice service:
- CoverageCo uses micro-cell radio equipment installed on utility poles and existing structures rather than equipment installed on specific cell towers.
- CoverageCo’s micro-cell solution can provide service to roadway corridors without continuous service at a lower cost than conventional cell tower sites.
What is Multi-standard Network Technology?
National cellular carriers do not all use the same technology. One is GSM, the other is CDMA. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM, Sprint and Verizon use CDMA. Multi-standard network technology can provide service to all cellular providers, whether they use GSM or CDMA.
Equipment for the project will be provided by CoverageCo’s affiliated company, Vanu, Inc., a pioneer in the development of software-defined radio access networks.
What Cellular Companies Are on the CoverageCo Network?
CoverageCo contracts with Sprint to use its spectrum. In addition, the company has entered into industry standard roaming agreements with T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, plus several Canadian retail cellular carriers. The company is seeking agreements with additional providers.
Where Will the Network Be Built?
The VTA will purchase equipment to serve nearly 450 miles of roadway around the state not continuously served by cell phone carriers. CoverageCo will lease the equipment from the VTA and operate it as part of their overall network. In addition, CoverageCo intends to cover an additional 125 road miles, funded through its own private capital investment.
When the project is complete roughly 50% of the original Target Corridors identified as needing additional cell service will be served. (Additional coverage has also been made available through the VTAs Bethel cell tower.)
Click here for a map of the network that is formatted for 11 X 17 paper.
What Are the Funding Sources?
VTA-funded Target Corridors in the project includes state capital appropriations and funding from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce (see Cellular Resiliency Project). CoverageCo will be adding service to additional Target Corridors through its own private investment.
FAQs
For additional information and a printout of FAQs, click here.
Project Update - 77 VTA-funded micro-cell sites are operational. 22 sites Washington to Chelsea, five sites in the Topsham area, 12 sites along Route 15 in Wolcott and 33 sites in Thetford Center. 27 CoverageCo-funded sites on Route 30 from Newfane and Jamaica are in service. Construction is ongoing and due to be complete in 2015.