Cell Phone Tower Activity at Hyco Lake

10/23/09 - American Tower to Fly Test Balloon on Wagstaff Road 11/7/09

American Tower, a major cell tower operator, is scheduled to fly a test balloon on Wagstaff Road on Saturday Nov. 7th from 10 - 2 weather permitting.  In case of bad weather, it will fly on Sunday.  The test is to place a balloon at the proposed tower height so that neighbors can view the location.  The proposed tower site is near the intersection of Semora Road and Wagstaff Road now known as Deer Meadow Road.  For more info, contact me at: randy@hycolake.com

7/18/08 - Major Cell Carriers Back Looking at Hyco Site

Two major cell carriers have activity occurring involving the Hyco area.  Both carriers have area sales managers that are aware of the potential market and are building a business case to present to upper management to locate a tower at Hyco.  They both understand the potential impact of customers leaving their current supplier and switching to the Hyco area supplier.  Since the cell phone user market is about tapped out, the future growth will be in users switching to the supplier which provides the best coverage with the best customer service at a competitive price.  The independent tower operator is still looking at potentially locating a tower at Hyco to sub-lease space to cell carriers and broadband Internet carriers such as Electronic Solutions, Inc. who has committed to locating on the new tower if constructed.

1/16/08 - Independent Tower Company Looking at Hyco Lake

There is a independent tower company looking at the feasibility of locating a communications tower on Hyco Lake.  U.S. Cellular has also asked for more information on Hyco Lake.

5/3/07 - AT&T/Cingular Project in Person County Still Active

According to our sources, AT&T/Cingular still has Person County expansion including Hyco Lake rated as "high" on their priority list.  Funding for site expansion is still being evaluated with final determination within the 4-6 weeks.  If funding is approved, activity should start soon on the cell sites.

2/10/07 - Cingular Continues to Lease Tower Sites

We have been informed that Cingular is continuing to lease land for two tower sites near Hyco Lake.  This is encouraging in that it appears Cingular has not abandoned expanding in Person County.  We are currently trying to get a statement from Cingular who is now owned by AT&T concerning the status of the approved tower sites.

10/16/06 - Cingular Stops Construction on All Cell Towers Including Hyco Lake

Cingular has notified us that they have placed all cell tower construction on hold pending the buyout of Cingular's parent company Bell South by AT&T.  This affects all new cell towers in Cingular's system.

It doesn't make sense to us and apparently several people in Cingular since thousand's of dollars have been spent permitting and acquiring land to locate the towers.  Person County cell towers were considered high on their priority list due to the absence of coverage in a large part of the county especially around Hyco Lake.

You can take effort by writing Cingular to express your dismay over their decision.  The people to contact are:
Ms. Allison Hall
V.P. Sales
Cingular Wireless
3800 Arco Corporation Drive - Suite 200
Charlotte, NC 27273

Mr. Hap Hall
Executive Director of Network Operations
Cingular Wireless
1 Marcus Drive - Suite 307
Greenville, SC 29615

Cingular will lose their permits to construct the Person towers around December 1st. This will require a start from scratch for any cell tower company to begin permitting to build towers and take probably another year.  It is imperative that we impress upon Cingular to go forward as they are delaying services to us by holding the permits for the areas around Hyco Lake and Bethel Hill.  No other permits will be allowed until Cingular's are expired.

8/1/2006 - Cingular Wins Approval to Construct Cell Towers

Cingular Wireless received final approval from the County Commissioners to construct 3 cell towers in the Northern section of Person County.  Two of the towers will serve the Hyco Lake area.  Construction is due to be completed within 120 days which should make the towers operational by 11/1/06. Tower locations are noted at the bottom of this page.

7/19/2006 - Cingular to Appear Before County Commissioners

Cingular hopes to receive final approval to construct three cell towers in Person County with two of them to be located in the Hyco Lake area.   

The meeting will be held Tuesday, August 1 at 9:00 A.M. in the County Office Building in room 215.  Public support is vital to insure the Commissioners are aware of the need of the communications in these areas.  You may also contact each Commissioner to let them know you are in support of the towers.
Jimmy Clayton - jimmyb31@hotmail.com  364-8520
Johnny Lunsford - jlunsford@esinc.net  599-5290
Larry Bowes - lhbowes@esinc.net  599-7122
Larry Yarborough - yarbo@hughes.net  503-8282
Roy Holler - mrholler@charter.net  599-1766

7/14/06 - Cingular Wins Approval from Consultant and P.C. Planning Board

Cingular representatives and several citizens spoke in favor of the three tower sites Thursday night before the Person County Planning Board.  The Board voted unanimously to recommend to the County Commissioners that the three sites be approved for 250' cell towers.  The towers will be able to accommodate up to 5 carriers for co-location in the future.  If approved by the County Commissioners in August, Cingular has agreed to have the towers operational within 120 days.

The county consultant Rusty Monroe spoke very favorably concerning the communications with Cingular during the review of Cingular's applications.  Mr. Monroe was very complimentary concerning the responsiveness of Cingular's attorney Karen Kermerait in addressing any questions or request for additional information.

We will advise when the County Commissioners will meet in August to hear the recommendation of the planning board.  If you have the opportunity, please let your County Commissioners know you support the cell tower applications and would appreciate expedited approval and construction. You may contact the Commissioners at this link. (Click Here)

6/26/06 - Cingular to Appear Before Planning Board

Cingular will appear before the Person County Planning Board on Thursday July 13, 2006 to hopefully receive approval for three cell towers - two at Hyco Lake and one at Bethel Hill.  Support is needed from the community to insure the cell tower applications are approved.  Please plan to be at the Person County Office Building at 304 South Morgan Street in the Commissioner's board room on the second floor in room 215.  

The hearing begins at 7:00 PM. The only reported "sticking" point is that the County Consultant is taking exception to the extension of the antennas from the tower.  Cingular Engineering desires to locate beyond the 24" limitation to increase area coverage and reduce the need for additional towers.  Cingular contends that the extension beyond 24" on a lattice tower is not noticeable and should be allowed to increase coverage.  We support Cingular in both allowing the 250' towers and the variance on the extension of the antennas. If you have any questions, email us at: randy@esinc.net.

5/8/06 - Cingular Delivers Applications to Person County Planning

Cingular has delivered applications for three towers to be located in Person County with two being in the Hyco Lake Area. Normal process should have the applications approved within 30 days by the County and the consultant.  Once the applications are approved, build-out is around 60 days so that puts the tower erection in August or September.  We will advise when the applications are approved.

4/10/06 - Cingular Wireless "flys" Locator Balloon at Hyco

Cingular Wireless flew a locator balloon on Monday to give local residents and landowners a representative elevation and location of their intended tower site.  The balloon was flown on Wagstaff Road. 

Cingular Wireless has identified two sites in the Northwestern part of Person County for locating cell towers this year.  Their schedule calls for making application to the Person County Planning Board within the next 30 days.  

Application for cell sites have to meet the County ordinance for cell sites before going to the planning board. You may read the ordinance at this link: http://www.personcounty.net

If you are interested in being informed about the activities and plans concerning the cell tower application and progress, please contact me at: randy@esinc.net or place your name on our opt-in mail list by putting JOIN in the subject line of an email at this address: hyco-request@esinc.net 

You may also view statistics for the Hyco Lake area at this link concerning justification for expansion of telecommunication services (Click Here)

You may also contact the County Commissioners, the County Manager and the Planning Board members to let them know you are in total support for cell services at Hyco Lake.

The green triangles below indicate the proposed locations of new cell sites planned by Cingular.