As Verizon and AT&T get close to commercial 5G launches (see separate item), it is clear that densification will play a central role as they move on from fixed wireless to full mobile services. Both have been deploying small cells and distributed antenna systems (DAS) to add targeted capacity to 4G networks, but this is also resulting in a grid of sites and backhaul which will ease the roll-out of 5G. Both operators, along with Sprint, are taking a capacity-first approach to 5G, which will harness midband and high frequency spectrum to boost speeds dramatically in selected areas. Two issues are emerging as significant challenges – site approvals for small cells, which will be important to the telcos’ capacity-led 5G…