After Winning Lawsuit and Five-Year Battle, Verizon Backs Off on Tower

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UPDATE After four years of negotiations, a recent ruling in favor of Verizon Wireless, and back-and-forth with Peabody Municipal Light Plant (PMLP) over a tower project in Massachusetts, a decision has finally been reached. The Salem News reported that the proposed 60-foot monopole project would not move forward, and antennas will instead be installed on existing infrastructure. 

The manager of PMLP, Charles J. Orphanos, said in a statement, “This was a long process that relied on everyone’s cooperation and persistence…I’d like to thank everyone at PMLP who has been involved in this process, the Commissioners of PMLP, the City of Peabody, and Verizon, who worked diligently to reach a mutually beneficial solution.”

According to Mayor Ted Bettencourt, Verizon and PLMP reached an agreement to add 14 antennas on existing utility poles around the city. The attachments are poised to improve Verizon service and pave the way for other carriers to expand coverage, reported the News. Bettencourt also noted that Verizon withdrew a lawsuit it had previously filed against the city after denying a permit. 

“I am very pleased that we’ve been able to work this out and avoid the large pole being put right in the middle of a very family-oriented South Peabody neighborhood,” the mayor said. “The pole would have caused a major quality of life issue in that neighborhood, and that just wasn’t the right place for it.”

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