Facing growing complaints about poor cell service, The Woodlands Township, TX board has directed staff to begin developing a plan to bring more cell towers to the area using small cell network solutions. The decision, made at the March 26 board meeting, marks the first step toward addressing coverage and capacity gaps that have frustrated many residents, according to Community Impact.
Township IT Director William Pham outlined the core issues contributing to unreliable service: too few towers to handle the area’s population density and inadequate coverage in certain zones. “I think everybody realizes we have coverage and capacity issues,” Pham said. “In The Woodlands, the coverage problems are often because towers are too far away or small cell infrastructure is lacking, and capacity issues happen when too many people are trying to use the network at the same time.”
Historically, the township has faced challenges in accommodating new towers because of limited available space. Pham explained that mobile network operators typically need about one acre of land per tower. However, existing land use agreements with developers have prevented these installations on township property. “Over the years, we’ve had carriers approach us about putting up towers, but we’ve had to turn them down due to those agreements,” Pham told Community Impact.
Board Chair Brad Bailey urged township staff to work with key developers, such as Howard Hughes, to renegotiate land use agreements and explore lease arrangements that could incentivize tower installations. “The Woodlands is ranked one of the top places to live in America, yet we can’t keep a call from dropping,” Bailey said.
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