The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

AT&T tower approved by City Council

AT&T tower approved by City Council

New cell tower to be installed near Results Way Office Park



Last year, an AT&T cell tower was proposed to the Cupertino City Council in hopes of increasing cell phone coverage in the weak reception area between Stevens Creek Boulevard, McClellan Road, Bubb Road and Highway 85.

Cell towers must adhere to the federal government’s radiation regulations, also known as the maximum permissible exposure. The recently-approved cell tower would emit at most 3.2 percent of the maximum allowed amount of radiation. Infographic by Edward Wang.

On Feb. 15, the Cupertino City Council approved the cell phone tower proposal. The tower will be located in the rear parking lot of the Results Way Office Park near Imperial Avenue. 

Senior Nathan Hu, who uses an AT&T cell phone, hopes that the new cell tower will improve cell phone coverage at MVHS.

“It’s hard to call people on campus,” Hu said. “[The cell tower] will help out all the calls and text messages going on around and…it’s not just the school that has problems. My cell phone doesn’t even work in my house.”

The tower will be disguised as a pine or redwood tree with faux bark and a mix of green and brown needles. Despite measures to make the tower blend in with its environment as much as possible, it will still be somewhat apparent because it is 74 feet tall while its surrounding environment comprises of 30 to 35 foot tall coastal redwood trees. Additional landscaping measures will be taken by the city to hide the cell tower from the Astoria town homes north of the site. 

The construction of tree-like cell towers typically costs about $100,000.

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