York looks to tackle cell phone dead zones: Will streetlight small cells be the answer?

Portsmouth Herald
by Max Sullivan

YORK, Maine — Can you hear me now?

Town officials say they have a solution to York’s widespread problem with cell service dead zones, which can be implemented anywhere there is a light on a telephone pole. Streetlight small cells, devices mounted on streetlights, could soon provide 5G coverage for about a quarter-mile radius. The Selectboard has voted to enter a contract, pending legal review, with the company Ubicquia to install these devices throughout the town.

The deal costs the town nothing and actually earns the town a small royalty for each device, according to York IT manager Alex Gagnon. The company Ubicquia has already received rave reviews in Rumford, Maine, for using small cells to provide more cell service across that town.

The deal with Ubicquia comes after years in which town officials, residents, and outside companies like Vertex Towers and AT&T have tried to address the lack of coverage in town. Attempts to build towers have failed in the past in York, and residents who oppose them have asked the town to explore small-cell technology instead.

“Obviously, everybody knows that there’s a lack of cellphone coverage in York,” Gagnon said. “We’re trying to look for a solution that will help fill that void.”

Ubicquia, an alternative to towers across the country
Town officials were already looking at ways to improve service in town, according to the memo on the contract to the Selectboard. The summer months see especially bad service because of the influx of tourists visiting, it said.

“It creates this saturation effect where in certain areas you can’t even send a text message or a phone call,” Gagnon said.

The service problems are not limited to the beach. Joseph said in the newly renovated Town Hall, calls and messages are delayed or don’t go through.

“If anyone’s trying to reach me, it takes all day for a text message,” Joseph said. Gagnon joked that this was because Joseph didn’t have an iPhone, but he also shared his own struggles with connectivity. Recently, after a car crash, he had difficulty communicating with a York police officer, who ultimately had to drive back to the station to complete their call.

“In some cases, I think it’s somewhat of a safety concern, not having coverage,“ Gagnon said.

Ubicquia, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is already working with streetlight small cell technology across more than 800 cities, including 15 in the top 30 by population. Gagnon said he learned about them through his hometown of Rumford.

Gagnon said he reached out to Rumford’s Town Manager George O’Keefe, who said the improvement in their downtown coverage was “seamless.”

Once the contract is signed, Ubicquia completes the process of implementing the service by collaborating with Central Maine Power to seek permission to mount the devices on poles. CMP bills Ubicquia monthly based on power usage.

The devices use fiber that already exists on telephone poles throughout York, according to Gagnon. Ubicquia works with cell carriers like Verizon, AT&T, US Cellular and T-Mobile to provide the service. They also handle the installation and will be responsible for any technical or hardware issues that may arise.

The small cells will not be visible on the streetlights, according to Joseph and Gagnon, who said they are much smaller than other devices, commonly referred to as “small cells.”
“These shouldn’t be referred to as small cells. Should be nano cells,” Joseph said.

Town officials waiting to see impact of Ubicquia deal
The deal with Ubicquia drew intrigue from at least one resident. Mac Booze said during public comment he was eager to see if the devices would actually improve York’s service during its busy summer season.

“You have two things, which is coverage density and the other is performance,” Booze said. “Will implementing these technologies address both those issues?”

Joseph, asked by Booze if there would be a “marked difference,” said, “Possibly.” “I wouldn’t guarantee that it would be marked,” he said.

Board members said they were optimistic the contract is worth pursuing. The project would still require town approval at the code and planning level, according to Joseph.

“It will increase the probability that they will (have coverage),” Selectboard member Robert Palmer said.

Orignal article here: York looks to tackle cell phone dead zones: Will streetlight small cells be the answer?