The slogan in Verizon Wireless commercials goes, Can you hear me now? Good. In Athens, it goes something like, Can you hear me now? Oh crap! I can't hear you. Many local customers also complain that the hills in this area turn their cell phones into little more than pagers. Now it appears the problem might go away, even though Verizon won't admit there were any problems to fix.
City Council recently passed an ordinance to lease seven parking spots on top of the Athens City parking garage to Verizon for $1,700 a year over a span of 10 years for a new cell phone tower. The rent will go up by 3 percent every year until the end of the lease, meaning the city will make more than $200,000 during the length of the contract. Verizon already had a tower in Athens, but the garage spot apparently is a better location.
Councilman Paul Wiehl, D-1st Ward, said that the move was not in response to any specific problems with cell phone service. It is no mystery that signal strength for Verizon Wireless customers is terrible in the dorms, so it's puzzling that Verizon would not say this move is a solution to a problem. Why relocate a tower if you have no specific reason to do it? It's hard to believe Verizon will be giving the city more than $200,000 during the next 10 years just because the company felt its tower needed a change of scenery.
Putting up a tower with the intent to improve signal strength for contracted customers is a very worthwhile cause and should be applauded. The problem lies in the ambiguity of the reason for a change. Verizon should have been more open about its motives for this move.
Either way, council was right to pass the ordinance. Even if it is just a change of scenery, it's a good way for the city to make a little money. Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Post executive editors.
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