Officials want to eliminate cell phone dead zones in McDowell
Officials want to eliminate cell phone dead zones in McDowell
By CHARLES OWENS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
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WELCH — A long-standing problem of cell phone dead zones in McDowell County is prompting officials to take action.
At the current time, citizens can only pick up a cell phone signal in Kimball, Welch and War. Although the county was awarded state funding more than two years ago for the construction of two additional cell phone towers, officials have been unsuccessful in finding a provider for the service.
“The only areas with coverage are Kimball, War and Welch,” County Commission President Ray Bailey said. “We need six or seven more cell towers to get service for our county. I’m going to work on those.”
Bailey the commission has a petition with the names of several thousand county residents who want improved cell phone coverage in McDowell County. Bailey said the cell phone dead zones were particularly troublesome in the aftermath of the Dec. 18, 2009, monster storm.
“In the Dec. 18 storm, 938 numbers couldn’t call 436, and that’s where our 911 center is,” Bailey said. “And 911 couldn’t help our area where there is no coverage. So we’ve got to find a way to overcome this.”
McDowell County was one of 15 southern West Virginia counties declared a federal disaster area last week by President Barack Obama as a result of the Dec. 18, 2009, storm.
“We have the funding right now,” Bailey said. “We’ve had funding for two years now to build cell towers in our county. They won’t release the funding because we can’t get a provider.”
Bailey said at least two companies have declined to provide cell tower service to McDowell County. As a result, county officials are taking another look at existing law as it relates to cell tower service for rural areas.
“I feel very confident,” Bailey said. “I think we will get more cell tower coverage in our county. There is a provision in the law that says underserved areas — if they refuse to come in and service those areas — anyone can come in.”
