Fact Finders: What’s going on with a cell tower south of Nixa?

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The construction of a cell tower used to spark concern, and sometimes it still does. But this week’s Fact Finders has a different concern about a tower. Our viewer wants better cell service and wants to know, has Verizon abandoned this location before ever placing it into service?

The site is in the northern corner of Stone County, southwest of Nixa. A Stone County Commissioner confirms the county approved construction of the site off State Highway M. The Federal Communications Commission tracks tower locations and registration. According to the government agency, construction wrapped up on July 3, 2019.

A Verizon spokesperson says, “This cell site is active and operational. There may be fewer antennas on this tower than you see on some older towers or on towers where our equipment is co-located with other carriers’ equipment.”

Meantime, our viewer is also concerned about the lighting on the tower. He told us standard red lights were not operational.

Verizon tells us, “Our network team will contact the tower owner to check on the status of the lights.”

We’ve also contacted the owner of the tower about the lights. It’s a tower company out of South Bend, Indiana. Project Manager Jennifer Sirovica of Horvath Communications says, “This tower (HV1303/Jamesville) is not lit and has never been lit, nor is it a requirement of the FAA to light it, as it is a tower that is less than 200′ tall.”

Government records indicate the tower is about 61 feet tall.

Returning to the viewer’s question, Has Verizon abandoned this location before ever placing it into service? Based on Verizon’s answer and FCC records, we will say NO. Verizon has not abandoned this location.

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