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Planning board flags mobile service gaps after tower rollout; urges staff engagement with carriers
Summary
Board members said Verizon equipment currently provides local coverage but AT&T and T‑Mobile have not installed equipment on recently sited towers; members described service gaps as a public safety concern and asked staff to follow up with carriers and emergency services.
Planning Board members raised continued concerns about mobile service coverage in Hubbardston, saying recent tower installations have not delivered service from multiple carriers and leaving parts of town with persistent dead spots.
A board member who has followed the town’s cell‑tower efforts said Verizon now has equipment in place and provides reasonable coverage in some areas, but AT&T and T‑Mobile have not yet installed their equipment. That leaves residents who use other providers with limited reception, the member said, which can affect emergency communications or the ability to call for help during outages.
"We have a lot of dead spots in our town, and that's a safety concern," the member said, urging the town administrator, police and fire chiefs to engage carriers and press for equipment deployment.
Board members noted ownership changes to tower assets may have affected rollout plans; the member said one tower (referred to as Vertex) was sold and Verizon now operates equipment there. Leanne and staff were credited with outreach to carriers to request timelines for equipment installation.
No formal action was taken; the board recorded the concern and asked staff to continue contact with carriers and to involve public‑safety officials where appropriate.
