SULPHUR SPRINGS -- On July 21, members of the Sulphur Springs City Council voted to grant permission to Tillman Infrastructure to build a cell tower in Sulphur Springs as part of a plan to increase AT&T coverage for residences in Sulphur Springs.
During the open forum discussion, council members raised concerns about the potential impact the tower could have on the community. Greg Ferris -- who represents Tillman Infrastructure -- responded to the council's concerns and received the green light to proceed.
Currently, the closest tower to Sulphur Springs that carries AT&T service stands on Leonard Ranch Road in Gravette. The gap between the two towns doesn't provide enough service to work in Sulphur Springs. Heading north from Gravette on Arkansas 59 to Sulphur Springs, AT&T cell service stops at the Benton County Stone quarry and continues past Sulphur Springs.
Cell towers across Benton County carry different cellphone providers and telecommunication companies, such as Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. Most of the time, these companies don't own the towers but lease them from a company like Tillman Infrastructure, which builds the towers.
The location for the tower will be on West Belknap Road in Sulphur Springs. Tillman Infrastructure will construct a tower 200 feet from the road to preserve the nature and wildlife that surrounds it. The height of the tower will be at least 200 feet because "trees and towers don't get along very well," Ferris said. The tower needs to be higher than the trees to ensure the signal gives good reception.
One concern was raised by Mayor Shane Weber, who wanted to ensure the service was available to everyone, "not just businesses."
"It's for everybody," said Ferris. "Anybody that wants to have AT&T service." This tower will cater to all AT&T customers and provide faster internet service too, he said.
"This will also be a 5G tower. And the nice thing about 5G is it's really high-speed internet. So if you're having trouble getting internet to your house or to your area, you can get a box [mobile hotspot] from AT&T," Ferris explained.
AT&T customers can access the internet with their phones and/or mobile hotspots, which are available at AT&T stores and other retailers.
Another concern raised by the council members was if the tower would interfere with other telecommunication services in the area, such as Century Link.
"It will not interfere with anything," Ferris said. "The [Federal Communications Commission] is very particular about what they do with any kind of transmission."
So how long does it take to get the tower up and running?
"I would guess six to seven months is kind of the norm," said Ferris. "Maybe a little quicker. Maybe a little slower."
From start to finish, this process will fall into many hands.
"The first thing we ever do is get local approval," said Ferris.
Jumping the gun on a building project can be costly, so all bases need to be covered, including the approval from the local community. If they pay to have federal approval for the construction before the local community gives the OK, it can be an expensive mistake, he said.
Zoning permits and building permits will also have to wait until they get approval from the FCC. Then other factors are called to account, such as the impact the towers will have on the environment and "sacred Indian burial grounds." If any conflicts arise, agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and any indigenous native American tribes that once occupied the area will be contacted to survey the land before the building process can proceed.
Once the tower is up and running, AT&T customers will have 5G cell service for their phones and internet in Sulphur Springs.
The members of the City Council said they are optimistic about the construction of the tower. Construction is expected to begin soon.