Politics & Government

No More 'Dead Spots' for T-Mobile Customers

T-Mobile will install six new antennas to better serve residents of Campbell.

Things are looking good for Campbell residents who are T-Mobile customers.

The Campbell Planning Commission met and approved a request by the cell phone company to add six new telecommunication antennas to an existing PG&E lattice tower at 1469 So. Bascom Ave. near the Valley Transportation Authority light-rail station.

The tower will be the sixth T-Mobile location in Campbell and will fill the gap of service to customers near the eBay neighborhood.

Find out what's happening in Campbellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We simply don't have coverage in that area," says T-Mobile spokesman Rod De La Rosa. "T-Mobile and other carriers are responding to customer demands and expanding the reach of telecommunication services. People no longer use their phones for simply talking. They use it for data transfer. They want it faster and closer to home."

AT&T also had a request on the agenda—to swap out three existing antennas for another three of newer technology at the building on 700 W. Hamilton Ave.—but it was pushed back for the second time.

Find out what's happening in Campbellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Originally, AT&T had applied to continue use of these three antennas and add three more, newer antennas, said the city's Associate Planner Steve Prosser. But after going before the site committee last week, it was recommended that AT&T move the antennas from the front of the building to the roof, Prosser said.

AT&T took its original proposal back after this recommendation and requested the new proposal for the swap.

"It's what they believe to be a compromise," Prosser said.

AT&T has five locations within Campbell.

"The benefit is the use of new technology to operate better in our city," Prosser said. "If removed, there could potentially be 'dead spots.'"

The negatives of this particular project?

"There is an over-concentration of equipment on this particular site, which detracts from the aesthetics of the building," he said.


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