Cell On Wheels

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This COW was photographed in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was in service for the 2005 Rose Bowl game. Notice that it has its own power generator for use when no commercial electrical power is available.

A Cell on Wheels, usually referred to as a "COW", is a mobile cell site that consists of a cellular antenna tower and electronic radio equipment on a truck or trailer, designed to be part of a cellular network.

COWs are used to provide expanded cellular network coverage and/or capacity at: special events such as major sporting events (Super Bowl, World Series, Rose Bowl, etc.), major conventions, etc.; or in disaster areas where cellular coverage either was never present (e.g. in a wilderness area where firefighters have set up a command center during a major forest fire) or was knocked out by the disaster (e.g. in the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina).

CIAB (Cell-in-a-Box)

Related to a COW is a CIAB (Cell-in-a-Box). Like COWs, CIABs provide temporary service with temporary equipment. The main difference is that a CIAB is typically placed for a longer period of time than a COW.

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