UPDATE With the first day of summer just around the corner, the coastal town of Belmar, NJ is bracing for an influx of visitors. The extra digital traffic puts a strain on local communications capabilities, prompting some residents to speak out in support of Verizon’s (NYSE: VZ) plan to install more cell towers.
“It’s a good idea. Excellent,” said one individual. “They should bring it to Point Pleasant. Hopefully, when they build these towers it [cell service] is going to be much better.”
However, as WNYW-TV reports, another faction is adamantly against the cell tower plan. As one detractor stated, “I personally think it’s a bad idea because we need to preserve the best environment for our beach.” The proposed plan would place small cell units along the boardwalk, not on the beach itself. Those opposed to the Verizon proposal have launched legal salvos against the telecom claiming that the cell towers present a possible health hazard, a view that has been repeatedly discredited by the American Cancer Society and World Health Organization.
The legal challenges have the roll-out stalled in court. Plaintiffs assert that Verizon has not demonstrated a need for additional cell towers.
An official statement from Verizon notes that other communities have installed cell towers without any negative consequences, reports WNYW-TV. “Verizon’s network improvements provide crucial connectivity for emergency service providers and customers in the community,” reads the statement. “With consumers and businesses using more and more data each year, we have continually been enhancing our network to meet the needs of homeowners and public safety agencies, as well as vacationers going down the shore.” The statement added that Verizon strives to work with local communities and abide by all state and federal guidelines.
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