TRE residents seeking wireless service from new tower

Topaz Ranch Estates residents are banding together to petition wireless service providers to take advantage of a new 100-foot cell tower on Wild Oat Mountain.

"We are circulating petitions at as many Highway 395 locations as we can," said Fred Farley of TRE Neighborhood Watch. "These petitions will be available to anyone passing through our area and will be circulated until approximately Christmas."

Farley said cell service in the area will not only benefit Topaz residents, but anyone driving south.

He said petitions are available at Iggy & Squiggys Junction Bar & Grill and Johnny's Roadhouse, both at Holbrook Junction, Ironhorse Cantina at Topaz Lake, LeGare's Coffee Depot off Albite Road, and the general store on Carter Way.

On Thursday, tower developer Robert Maclachlan, managing member of Vista Towers, said residents' signatures will serve as notification to wireless providers that there's real demand in the community.

"It's not a petition so much as notification that there's a group of people who want service," Maclachlan said. "Carriers have to spend $300,000 on the equipment alone, and they need to be able to justify that. That's what the group of signatures is aimed at, to show that need to make an investment. It could take five years to get all carriers up there, or it could take one year."

Maclachlan said construction of the new tower facility would be completed by the end of the week. He said Vista has already entered into a lease agreement with Verizon, which will start using the tower in April, though coverage likely won't begin until May.

"I've had brief conversations with T-Mobile and Sprint," Maclachlan said. "The goal is to provide a facility that will enable all carriers to provide service in the area, so that residents will have choices on what plans and systems work for them."

Maclachlan said Vista Towers specializes in under-served corridors, such as the Highway 395 corridor from Topaz to Bishop, Calif. He said the company is planning to erect at least two more towers at Sonora Junction and Bridgeport.

"We should provide consistent coverage all the way through," he said, "with the exception of Walker Canyon, which is a very difficult area to cover."