Board Recommends AT&T Cell Coverage Plan

Telecomm giant AT&T is on track to vastly expand its cell phone coverage in Palo Alto after a city decision Thursday to recommend 19 new cell antennas.

The 4-0 vote by the Architectural Review Board puts the company on steadier ground to achieve its longer-term goal of installing roughly 80 new cell sites throughout the city, a plan that's met fierce community resistance. The company has since split the Distributed Antenna System, or DAS, into four separate applications with the city. The project still faces council approval.

Normally tasked with regulating the trim, paint and dimensions of buildings in Palo Alto, the Architectural Review Board fielded comments from roughly 30 speakers before approving AT&T's first stage. 

"We need to get up on our roller skates and catch up," Board Member Judith Wasserman said "I'm going to vote for this project."

The company plans to install the new antennas at the top of existing poles, along with a processor box and battery back-up planted at roughly 30 feet high. The gear will be painted beige and disguised by trees when possible, according to the board decision.

The plan has staunchly divided residents, with cell coverage-hungry residents on one side and apprehensive homeowners worried about health, noise and possible visual blight on the other. And several opponents labelled the process as piece-meal and without a long-term strategy to manage the growth and demand of cellular technology.

"I feel like AT&T is driving this process," resident Kristen McMichael said. "Now were at 20 (towers). Then we go to 80. And then every carrier is going to want their own tower."

Other opponents were furious about the proposed antennas being close to their homes (see map) and some were worried about the still unknown health risks of cellular technology and infrastructure.

Supporters, however, spoke about the immediate need for better service. In an emergency scenario, for example, no coverage could be disastrous, a few speakers said. It is also embarrassing to be in the center of Silicon Valley and still get dropped calls in front of your house, speakers told the board. One man said his AT&T coverage is so bad at home that he uses his phone as a pager and returns the call on his landline.

"The connection is so poor that all I get is a caller ID," said resident Raj Mashruwala. "I very strongly support the DAS  installation." 

With the project scheduled for council vetting on Jan. 9, residents will have another chance to approach AT&T's plans. And one idea— the need for a Palo Alto wireless and cellular master plan —could take center stage.

Many residents complained Thursday that Palo Alto is stitching together a hodgepodge cellular network, customized to carrier need rather than efficiency. An underground network, for example, that can carry all telecom companies would serve the city better, many speakers said. 

"We don't need to decide here on a dime," resident Joe Morris told the board. "If you insist, the right design will prevail."

The scary scenario for residents is a policy of continual piggy-backing on the existing towers, or the construction of new ones, whether they are in a church tower or disguised as a tree. AT&T's model supports four additional carriers per telephone pole, but each company will have to apply with the city to construct a new antenna at the same location.