In a part of Northwestern Wisconsin known for its environmental commitment there’s a movement to build more cell phone towers. Rich Kremer reports.

Spotty cell coverage is prompting Bayfield County to look for help from the state to convince cellular companies to invest.

Bayfield County Administrator Mark Ables-Allison says cellular coverage is okay along main roads but he says pulling off the highway means pulling into a dead zone.

“Chequamegon Telephone, which is based in Cable, recently did a study and said, ‘We need about 15 more towers in order to adequately cover the county.’ Those 15 towers, just in Bayfield County alone, they ball-parked at around four million dollars.”

But Ables-Allison says even if they build it cell companies may not come.

“When the Verizons compare 15,000 people that could benefit in Bayfield County with 250,000 in another community for the same 15 towers they’re going to say, ‘It doesn’t quite work.’”

The issue went to Madison last month with Superior Days delegates for a meeting with Public Service Commissioner Mark Meyer. They asked the PSC for ideas to make cell towers in Bayfield County more attractive to providers. Meyer says cellular issues are in the Federal Communications territory. He says there’s not much his department can do.

“We’re kind of limited in how we regulate them. We certainly don’t regulate their rates. So, I’m not exactly sure where our jurisdiction starts and where it ends but it is an idea that I’ll take back to our staff and see if there isn’t something that can be done.”

Meyer did suggest the county loosen zoning regulations for cell towers and work closely with legislators to come up with a solution.

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