Oftentimes, news stories detailing citizens’ staunch opposition to cell towers and wireless equipment dominate the headlines. But in this case, the opposite is true.
Residents have started a petition to improve wireless service along a dangerous stretch of highway near Vancouver, reports The Province. The stretch—characterized by steep cliff edges and winding roads–is infamous for automobile accidents, which have left travelers stranded with no access to wireless service.
“It’s a safety issue that really came to a head when we heard about the trucker that went off the road,” said Laurie Bean, who lives near the stretch of road. Bean referred to an incident in which a trucker spent two days trapped in his truck before he was eventually rescued, but died later in the hospital.
The petition asks wireless company Telus to bring service to the area. In 2010, Telus was awarded a provincial contract to improve cell coverage along highways in the area, but a 2012 feasibility study conducted by the company showed significant difficulties in providing power supply from the highway to cell tower sites.
Local first responders have voiced support for the petition, as well as ski patrol at nearby Manning Park, with one patrol describing cell coverage as a “life-saving endeavor” in a recent letter supporting improved coverage.
March 14, 2017
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