Oro Valley directs staff to engage carriers on spotty coverage north of Tangerine Road after police raise safety concerns

On March 4 the Oro Valley Town Council directed staff to continue outreach to wireless providers about poor cellular coverage in neighborhoods north of Tangerine Road and to identify potential town‑owned sites that could host telecommunication infrastructure.

Vice Mayor Barrett and Councilmember Murphy said numerous residents reported weak cellular reception in Rancho Vistoso and nearby areas, sometimes affecting HOA gate access and personal safety. Lieutenant Larter told the council patrol officers have reported intermittent loss of mobile‑data connectivity in parts of northern Oro Valley; officers occasionally rely on personal phone hotspots to maintain access to dispatch and records, which reduces efficiency and could risk seconds on high‑priority calls.

Staff described prior outreach to providers (Verizon, AT&T). Scott (staff) said a Verizon antenna that had been performing poorly was repaired after staff raised concerns, but providers were reluctant to share proprietary network plans without non‑disclosure agreements and would not disclose future build plans. Town staff recommended a two‑track approach: (1) identify town‑owned parcels and publicly available sites suitable for collocation and (2) issue an RFI to invite technical proposals from carriers. Councilmembers suggested complementary demand data collection (resident surveys or a coverage petition) to show market incentive to carriers.

Resident Brian Maxwell said he has lived in Rancho Vistoso 16 years and urged the town to keep pressing carriers, suggesting visible advocacy and compiled resident data would accelerate provider responses.

Mayor Winfield moved — and council approved 7–0 — a motion directing staff to continue engaging wireless providers about coverage north of Tangerine Road, identify potential town‑owned sites for telecommunication infrastructure, and report back with options to encourage improved cellular service.