When T-Mobile took over Sprint, the company began modifying cell towers to merge the two systems and start the transition to 5G. Customers in Rappahannock County, VA have told the Rappahannock News that connections have been either spotty or absent since the project began.
Prior to the changeover, Town of Washington resident Dana Dunn said, “I have three acres, I could go anywhere in my acreage and I could talk to anybody. I finally get to move into [the house], I think about a month ago, and I have no coverage. None. No bars.”
“I will have someone tell me that they’ve called me and my phone never rings,” agreed Washington neighbor, Veronika Benson, commenting on the current lack of service. “That means if my mom had an urgent reason to call me, she wouldn’t be able to reach me…It’s also a safety thing.”
Emergency Services Coordinator, Sean Polster, said that T-Mobile does not provide timely updates to the county regarding service outages. Cell towers in the area are owned by the telecom, not the county. Towers in the area that were formerly owned by Shentel and acquired by T-Mobile are also interspersed throughout the region and are undergoing similar upgrades.
“T-Mobile is currently performing upgrades in the area,” noted a representative in an official statement. “We apologize for any impacts some customers may experience. The upgrades are expected to be complete in a few days and will provide customers with 5G service.”
While residents grumble about the lack of digital service during the transition, T-Mobile urged people to be patient, noting, “We have been making upgrades to towers in the area so we can deliver our industry-leading 5G network and deliver an enhanced experience for customers.”
Given the Rappahannock County’s location in the northern Piedmont region of the commonwealth adjacent to Shenandoah National Park, skeptics question the practicality of 5G service. “There are tremendous advantages for the companies, and that’s why they’re pushing [5G] so hard,” said Randall Bartlett, a Flint Hill resident and former information technology and telecommunications consultant. “It also carries lots of capabilities, technical capabilities and service capabilities that are much, much better for the end user.”
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