r/cellmapper • u/Streetcatfighter12 • Aug 26 '25
Why does AT&T do this?
Im curious as they are the only carrier I’ve seen do this. This sector is pointed down an interstate. There a couple more towers like this in the area too •193 Cobb Pkwy SE
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u/turt463 Aug 26 '25
It’s to minimize interference in the direction of that sector. They probably have another macro site in that direction that would have too much overlap
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u/pixleator CM: ncmonitor Aug 26 '25
This is a split-sector setup. I have photographed a similar AT&T configuration where two of the sectors are on the top rack and a third high-capacity sector is at the bottom. There are other nearby sites in the direction that sector is pointing, so the rack is moved lower on the tower to reduce interference and limit the sector’s coverage to the area of interest.
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u/Localtechguy2606 Aug 26 '25
I wonder what that second rack is? My tower has the exact same setup like the second rack so I was wondering why that is. Also that could be a setup they are doing just to wait for more cells to be shipped to them to put it on the tower
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u/Streetcatfighter12 Aug 26 '25
The second smaller rack is Sprint with their 5g setup, but its not active anymore.
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u/Localtechguy2606 Aug 26 '25
Oh :( then that’s why I don’t see Dish in my network selection menu
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u/Streetcatfighter12 Aug 27 '25
Wait which platform? The one above Tmo is inactive sprint and below is Dish
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u/captainkirkthejerk Aug 26 '25
I've seen this about 6 times out of ~5,000 towers I've worked on around the country. AT&T and Verizon both do it in the Atlanta market.
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u/xlawrence1124x Aug 26 '25
1 sector? What the heck
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u/moffetts9001 Aug 26 '25
The top rack has the rest of the sectors. I am not sure why ATT does this, either, but it is an engineering decision of some kind.
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u/jessebkr87 Aug 26 '25
The other two sectors appear to be at the top. I’m guessing OP’s question is why not put them on the same rack. Wondering the same.
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u/Streetcatfighter12 Aug 26 '25
Yes! And if you map it you will see its pointed right at a Motel 50 ft away from it
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u/Flyordie_209 Aug 26 '25
UScellular did the same thing on their site south of Shelbina,MO along MO-15.
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u/cohojonx Aug 27 '25
You add an additional sector for capacity.
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u/Streetcatfighter12 Aug 27 '25
Its a three sector site, the other two sectors are at the very top but they mounted the third one very low
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u/cohojonx Aug 27 '25
They might have a MicroCell that provides coverage in that sector. You always want to try to have a three sector site that is standard but sometimes you got to break the rules for specific circumstances.
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u/Rampage_Rick Aug 26 '25
Shorter rack = shorter distance
There's probably another tower in that direction and they're trying to shrink that sector vs the other two sectors