When big crowds gather, AT&T, Verizon bring in the COWs

Baltimore famously dropped British war hopes in the Battle of Baltimore. Now, as Charm City marks the 200th anniversary of its role in ending the War of 1812, AT&T is trying to keep cell calls from meeting the same fate.
The carrier deployed what’s called a cell on wheels.
One of the generator-powered, self-cooling portable cell towers has been parked near Fort McHenry for two weeks, and will stay a couple days beyond the end of the Star-Spangled Spectacular, the weeklong celebration of Baltimore’s role in the creation of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which kicked off with fireworks on Saturday.
“We know we’ve got a large aggregate of people that are going to be in that area,” said Brian Harrison, a technical communications manager for AT&T.
The cell on wheels — or COW, as it’s called — will add capacity to the network serving the fort and nearby boats, preventing dropped calls and unsent text messages. COWs have been deployed during emergencies, at inaugurations, even 2012’s Star-Spangled Sailabration, Harrison said.
“It’s got all the same equipment [as a cell tower]. It just happens to be located on a truck,” he said.
In addition, Harrison said the carrier increased the frequency range for 4G LTE customers around the Inner Harbor.
Besides the temporary enhancements, AT&T has also added permanent 4G LTE capacity along the Interstate 83 corridor in Timonium and along Merritt Boulevard in Dundalk. Service has also recently been enhanced at M&T Bank Stadium, spokeswoman Elyssa Rae said in an email.
Melanie Ortel, a Verizon Wireless spokeswoman, said that carrier also parked a COW at Fort McHenry and enhanced systems in and around Inner Harbor-area attractions.