North Gateway/Anthem Residents Weigh in on Connectivity Issues
To address a growing gap in cell phone coverage in the North Phoenix area, a new wireless communication facility is planned near the northwest corner of North Valley Parkway and Bronco Butte Trail, adjacent to Fire ‘N Ice Sports arena.
For the last four years, Coal Creek Consulting, a Valley wireless development specialist representing T-Mobile, has been trying to secure a suitable site to increase cell coverage in the area.
An agreement was made with the original owner of the sports arena for the facility to be constructed adjacent to the hotel and arena. But, that agreement was nullified when the arena changed ownership.
In the meantime, the search continued for a suitable location, keeping several key points top of mind, including trying to locate the facility away from residential neighborhoods in the area. The consultants for T-Mobile kept coming back to this original site, but because the property is linked to the arena, there were several stipulations tied to the zoning, creating obstacles for construction to proceed.
“We wouldn’t have stuck with this site for so long if there wasn’t [service] interruptions,” Declan Murphy of Coal Creek Consulting told the North Gateway Village Board during a recent meeting.
The facility is a standalone utility installation, not a large-scale commercial development, and representatives have been working with the city to remove or alter many of the stipulations that were intended for the arena.
Plans filed with the City of Phoenix include an 85-foot monopole with T-Mobile antennas. AT&T and Verizon have since expressed co-locating to the same facility once it becomes operational to improve coverage for their customers, Murphy said during the meeting.
After several modifications were made to the stipulations with the Planning & Zoning staff, the final hurdle was crossed when Phoenix City Council approved the request at its December meeting.
North Phoenix residents weighed in on where cell coverage in the area is problematic for them.
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| Virgil Wimberly This is great news! I have lived in the Dynamite Mountain Ranch community for 13 years and our cell reception has always been terrible. The only way I can confidently connect to a call is via a Wi-Fi connection. |
| Marjean Clark Kinsey T-Mobile service at North Valley Pkwy and Sonoran Desert has definitely had issues…for years…and now with all the construction around there, it’s gotten really bad. |
| Bob Thompson I’m at the east end of Bronco Butte; Verizon cell coverage is so bad we have to use a repeater that sends the cell signal thru our WiFi, plus Verizon won’t install their home internet service due to the terrible service. A new cell tower is definitely needed in this area, especially with all the new construction! |
| Dana Siville Zapoticzny We live in Fireside at Norterra and cell service is horrible. Dropped calls, SOS service, if I’m not on Wi-Fi calling I can’t make calls. Some areas on Jomax/Norterra Parkway I don’t get any service at all. |
| Robbie Miller My daughter lives at Fireside Norterra. Verizon cell service is terrible there and has been since she moved in 10 years ago. If it weren’t for Wi-Fi calling, at times, she would have no cell service. |
| Curtis Roberts Live over near Walgreens in Anthem, I can only text, call or have any service late at night. |
| Larry Busch The coverage on the east side of Anthem is one bar, and it used to be better. Really unacceptable. |
| Gina Scaminaci AT&T was great in Arroyo Norte (new River but basically Anthem) until about a year ago when suddenly randomly only works when connected to WiFi (using wifi calling). |
| Roy Snyder Cell coverage is very spotty in Arroyo Grande. Both T-Mobile and Verizon. |
| Heather Kelsey Kummeth We live off Dove Valley by the preserve and the cell coverage for everyone in our development has terrible coverage, doesn’t matter the carrier. I have tried AT&T and Verizon, both terrible, I can’t call and drop calls in my home. The crazy part is I can hike in the desert behind our homes with fine coverage! |
| Kristi Proch The coverage for Verizon is so bad at Jomax & I-17 I have issues checking in for the click list at Frys to let them know I’ve arrived to pick up my groceries . We live in Fireside and have to use Wi-Fi calling in our home. |
| Tawny Hernandez Fireside at Norterra has bad coverage across all cell phone providers. Union Park school also has poor coverage. |
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By Karen Goveia
editor@valleyvibenews.com