AT&T’s futuristic AirGig is not quite what it initially seemed. Subsequent clarifications from AT&T have confirmed that no powerline communications are used, as initially reported. The basis of AirGig is that it places cheap antennas onto US powerlines, but does not communicate across them. The key element is that this is a plentiful form of backhaul. The new plastic antenna devices which AT&T is proposing will sit on very tall medium voltage power poles, not because they are medium voltage, but because they are high up. There may not be any need to have power either. It seems the devices take their energy off the powerlines using near field induction or something similar, as there don’t appear to be any…