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Youth commissioner presents neighborhood cellular‑service speed tests, urges city‑provider collaboration
Summary
A Los Altos Youth Commission member shared FCC speed‑test data collected every 50 feet in her neighborhood showing frequent poor download/upload speeds and high latency, and asked the council to work with residents and wireless providers to identify gaps and pursue solutions that protect community character.
At the June 9 meeting a Youth Commission member who identified herself as Ishika Amen told the City Council she conducted FCC speed tests every 50 feet in her neighborhood and found widespread poor download and upload speeds, high latency and jitter. "Cell service in parts of Los Altos is simply not reliable," she said, arguing that reliable service is now basic infrastructure used for emergency calls, schoolwork and remote meetings.
Ishika said coverage maps released by providers showed broad 'good' coverage that contradicted residents’ real‑world experience. She asked the council to "work with residents and wireless providers to identify coverage gaps and explore solutions that improve connectivity while maintaining the character of our community." Mayor Meadows and other councilmembers asked to receive her raw data; Ishika said she had hand‑collected the dataset and offered to share it by email.
Why it matters: residents and emergency services rely increasingly on cellular networks. The council did not take immediate action at the meeting but requested the dataset and the item may prompt staff follow‑up with providers or a future agenda item for exploring coverage improvement options that respect local design and planning constraints.
