Service Interruption: Cell Antenna Plans On Hold In Downtown Dallas
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DALLAS (CBSDFW) - Cell service in certain sections of Dallas could remain spotty for a while longer.
Wireless companies are looking to install over 130 small cell antennas in downtown Dallas, White Rock Lake and northwest Dallas.
Crown Castle, which is contracted by Verizon, and AT&T are looking to install mini-towers on city or utility-owned property, such as street light poles. The applications have been circulating inside City Hall for months, but staff and the city council have yet to come together on a set policy and price structure.
The Dallas City Council's Quality of Life Committee met yesterday to vote on a proposal to give the wireless companies a chance to start work by granting them a temporary $1,000 permit. But, another road block was encountered - fiber fees. Don Knight with the City Attorney's office, says they recently discovered that Crown Castle is looking to run 7.5 miles worth of fiber in downtown Dallas. The installation will require digging up sections of streets.
"Looking at a 6 by 6 foot area, it was going to be a thousand dollars for that antenna use," Knight told the committee. "We didn't realize the amount of fiber that was involved."
An estimated cost of around $50,000 jumped to over $300,000.
Crown Castle's Government Relations Manager Amandus Derr told the committee that they learned about the fee during a recent meeting with city staff and that it came as a surprise to them, because he says they were not charged a fiber fee for installations they completed in Fair Park and around Love Field. According to Derr, it was agreed at that same meeting that Crown Castle would not be charged a fiber fee for the new installations and that they would be able to proceed with a temporary license.
"We have a contract with Verizon, which is something that we cannot break willy-nilly," said Derr. "It's almost been 'death by delay' at this point."
The committee voted to send the issue to the full City Council, which will discuss it next Tuesday.
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