Small Cell Wireless Technology
What is 5G?
5G is an advanced wireless technology that has begun wide deployment in 2019. 5G networks are digital cellular networks, in which the service area covered by providers is divided into small geographical areas called cells. Analog signals representing sounds and images are digitized in the telephone, converted by an analog to digital converter and transmitted as a stream of bits. All the 5G wireless devices in a cell communicate by radio waves with a local antenna array and low power automated transceiver (transmitter and receiver) in the cell, over frequency channels assigned by the transceiver from a pool of frequencies that are reused in other cells. The local antennas are connected with the telephone network and the Internet by a high bandwidth optical fiber or wireless backhaul connection. As in other cell networks, a mobile device crossing from one cell to another is automatically "handed off" seamlessly to the new cell.
Verizon and a few others are using millimeter waves. Millimeter waves have shorter range than microwaves, therefore the cells are limited to smaller size. Millimeter waves also have more trouble passing through building walls. Millimeter wave antennas are smaller than the large antennas used in previous cellular networks. They are only a few inches (several centimeters) long. Another technique used for increasing the data rate is massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output). Each cell will have multiple antennas communicating with the wireless device, received by multiple antennas in the device, thus multiple bitstreams of data will be transmitted simultaneously, in parallel. In a technique called, beamforming, the base station computer will continuously calculate the best route for radio waves to reach each wireless device, and will organize multiple antennas to work together as phased arrays to create beams of millimeter waves to reach the device.
The 5G wireless devices also have 4G LTE capability, as the networks use 4G for initially establishing the connection with the cell, as well as in locations where 5G access is not available. 5G can support up to a million devices per square kilometer, while 4G supports only up to 100,000 devices per square kilometer.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5G
Presentation from Attorney Mike Marrs on 5G Small Cell Technology
August 19, 2019 Board Meeting from Village of Western Springs on Vimeo.
Village Activity:
March 2023: The Board will consider the Crown Castle Settlement Agreement and Exhibits at the meeting on March 20.
The Board will discuss Crown Castle's draft settlement agreement and exhibits at the workshop meeting on March 13.
February 2023: Village special attorney Michael Mars and industry consultant Stu Chapman give a comprehensive update on the status of Crown Castle's 2022 permit application at the Village Board Meeting (begins at 7:35)
November 2022: The Village issued a second response to Crown Castle's permit request for a small cell wireless facility at Lawn & 53rd - read it here.
September 2022: The Village received a response from Crown Castle Fiber LLC, to the July 20, 2022 response letter. The response can be found at the following link: Crown Castle Fiber LLC Response Package
July 2022: The Village provided a response to Crown Castle's small cell permit application on July 20, 2022. Download Response Letter
June 2022: The Village received a small cell facility permit application from Crown Castle LLC.
March 2020: The Village halted all permit review activity during the pandemic.
February 2020: The Town Hall PowerPoint presentation can be viewed here.
The Village Board passed resolutions 20-2528 (calling for an amendment to the Small Cell Deployment Act to return control of local right-of-ways to municipalities), and 20-2529 (a resolution supporting federal bills HR 530 and S 2012 to restore local control in 5G/broadband deployment).
January 2020: President Gallagher delivered a statement at the January 27 Board meeting. Read it here.
President Gallagher sent letters to the CCDPH, the IEPA, and IDPH, asking that they share information regarding the impacts of radiofrequency emissions on public health. Read them here.
The Village issued a statement to provide more information on small cell wireless technology. Read it here.
December 2019: The Village received a permit application from Crown Castle Fiber, LLC., which was subsequently withdrawn.
November 2019: President Gallagher discussed issue being considered by the board, including small cell technology. Read more here.
October 2019: President Gallagher asked House/Senate sponsors of the Small Cell Wireless Act to amend the Bill to provide more municipal control. Read her letters here.
President Gallagher sent letters to Senators Durbin and Duckworth, and Representatives Lipinski and Quigley, asking them to amend the Federal Communications Act to preserve local authority over deployment of 5G. Read the letters here.
Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act:
Illinois Municipal League Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act Fact Sheet (March 2022)
The Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act (the “Act”), 50 ILCS 840/1 et seq., which was signed into law on April 12, 2018, as Public Act 100-0585, provides the regulations and process for permitting and deploying small wireless facilities within rights-of-way and on private property throughout Illinois (excluding Chicago). Small wireless facilities, also known as a “small cell,” are most often attached to utility or other poles. This Act imposes certain additional requirements on municipalities, including The Village of Western Springs.
Residents are urged to share their concerns with state and federal representatives, the House and Senate sponsors of the Act, as well as the telecommunications companies.
Information about the legislative sponsors of the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act – which is designated as Public Act 100-0585 and can be found under the 100th General Assembly, and SB 1451 – are below:
Federal Communications Act of 1934:
There is a provision of federal law (the “Communications Act of 1934) that limits authority over radio frequency emissions.
47 U.S.C. 332(c)(7)(B)(iv):
(iv) No State or local government or instrumentality thereof may regulate the placement, construction, and modification of personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions to the extent that such facilities comply with the Commission’s regulations concerning such emissions.
Village of Western Springs Guidelines, Ordinances, and Resolutions:
- Approved Resolution 19-2508, Adopting Written Design Standards for Small Wireless Facilities
- Ordinance 18-2929 Amending Title 8 of the Village Code
- General Guidelines and Small Cell Wireless Facility Design - Village of Western Springs
- Approved Resolution 20-2528, Calling for an Amendment to the Small Cell Deployment Act
- Approved Resolution 20-2529, Supporting Federal Bills to Restore Local Control in 5G Deployment
- Ordinance 22-3090 Amending Various Sections of the Village Code
Additional Information:
- FCC’s Frequently Asked Questions About the Safety of Radiofrequency (RF) and Microwave Emissions from Transmitters and Facilities
- EPA Rad Town - Radiation from Wireless Technology
- National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet on Electromagnetic Fields
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Electric & Magnetic Fields Information
- National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health - Electric and Magnetic Fields
- Western Springs Streetlight Map
- Examples of Small Cell Locations in LGP/Oakbrook
Sign up for News Flashes and Permit Submittal Notifications
To sign up to receive email updates via for 5G permit submittals, please follow the steps below:
Click on "Stay Informed" icon on the main page of the Village website.
Enter your email address in the text box at the top of the page and click "Sign In".
Scroll down to the "News Flash" section of the page and click the 
next to 5G Permit Applications.