Advanced light poles with cellphone technology are coming to Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach is about to get some very high-tech light poles.

American Tower, a Boston-based wireless and broadcast communications firm, announced Monday that it will install 200 Smart Fusion Poles in Surf City, predominantly downtown and along Pacific Coast Highway.

Smart Fusion Poles provide high-capacity mobile connectivity and use light-emitting diode technology by Philips Lighting. According to a news release, the poles have concealed antennas that can support services from multiple mobile operators on a single pole and will be ready for next-generation technology such as 5G.

The poles will be installed starting within the year, with as many as 100 in place within three years. They will replace city-owned poles, according to a city staff report in December, when the City Council approved the 20-year deal.

American Tower will pay the city a rental rate of $2,000 annually for the space, meaning Huntington Beach stands to make up to $400,000 a year once all 200 poles are installed, according to city staff. Cell providers will sublease the poles.

Steven Marshall, president of U.S. Tower, a division of American Tower, called Smart Fusion Poles an industry first in that they’re aesthetically pleasing but solve cell capacity challenges in congested areas.

“The Smart Fusion Pole hides wireless equipment in plain sight, meeting the requirements of cities, and provides high-performance broadband to meet the network requirements of mobile network operators to support the insatiable demand for high-speed data,” he said in a statement. “We are proud to help the city of Huntington Beach deliver better mobile broadband to visitors and residents alike, especially during world-class events like the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing.”

Mayor Mike Posey said Huntington Beach wants to be “a leader in ‘smart city’ initiatives to provide residents, businesses and visitors a better city experience and quality of life.”

“Equally important is the ability to maintain the aesthetics of this beautiful seaside city I call home,” Posey said in a statement. “That’s why I am excited about the Smart Fusion Pole; it provides the connectivity required for our smart city initiatives without sacrificing the beauty and vista of our city.”

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint

UPDATES:

3:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at 10:20 a.m.