Verizon gets a green light to get rid of yet another dead zone

A 125-foot cell tower is the secret weapon that will help Verizon get rid of another dead zone – a place where there is no or low coverage.

Dead zones and eliminating them is what all major telcos have been up to lately – for example, when T-Mobile launched its Starlink service in beta some weeks ago, it promised to get rid of all dead zones via satellites.

Now, it's Verizon's turn. The company will install a huge cell tower on a property on Lasher Court, Pennsylvania. The Murrysville council approved a conditional-use permit for Verizon and the contractor that's to erect the tower (plus more infrastructure like fences).

This is great news for everyone who regularly travels the Saltsburg Road in Murrysville – there is a persistent coverage gap where Verizon calls almost always drop at a place between Mamont and Ashbaugh roads.



Joe Cortez, who represented both Verizon and the contractor, explained that they initially hoped to share space on an existing structure, in line with local regulations. However, there were no suitable tall structures within a two-mile radius. You've probably heard that the law requires structures like water towers to be shared with telcos – if they exist within a quarter-mile, but none were available.

Cortez pointed out that in the past, cell towers were mostly built along interstates. He noted that while large towers in areas like Monroeville, Greensburg, Green Tree, and Cranberry were once used mainly for voice calls, that's no longer the case. With the evolution of wireless networks, particularly the transition to 5G, voice communication has become a smaller part of network traffic. These days, remote work and mobile entertainment drive most of the demand.

He also cited that over 74% of households in the US rely solely on wireless service.

The proposed tower would sit at least 200 feet away from any property line, with the closest home approximately 850 feet from the installation site. This, however, didn't help to cool emotions off at 100% at the council meeting.

A resident asked if anything could be done to prevent 5G technology from being used on the tower. Both Cortez and council members explained that federal regulations under the 1996 Telecommunications Act limit local authority. Municipalities cannot block wireless services that address health and safety needs. Cortez added that the tower's coverage would play a crucial role in making sure emergency calls to 911 connect reliably within the current one-square-mile coverage gap.

Council President Dayne Dice clarified that while the municipality can influence the tower's location, it cannot dictate the type of technology it uses. He added that even if the permit had been denied, the project would likely still move forward eventually.