Verizon plans to boost cell service in Lewes

Verizon Wireless plans to boost service in the Lewes area.

The company, operating as Cellco Partnership, is seeking a conditional use with the city to add 12 antennae to an existing tower near the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal on Lewes Beach.

John Tracey of law firm Young, Conway, Stargatt and Taylor says the purpose of the request is to improve Verizon’s service in Lewes.

“This is designed to fill the gap between existing towers to provide better service, particularly in the downtown area, along the beach and up into Cape Henlopen State Park,” he said.

Several factors have contributed to the degradation of the company’s service in Lewes, including a larger year-round population and more people abandoning landlines and using mobile phones as their primary phone. The problem is particularly noticeable during the summer season, he said.

“I always use the example of going to a concert or sporting event,” he said. “You see there’s good coverage on the map, but when you get there, you can’t use your phone because 18,000 other people are trying to do the same thing.”

The new array would help solve that problem, he said.

The new antennae would be co-located on the existing 102-foot tower with T-Mobile. Installation would take about 60 days and also include a 275-square-foot enclosed area for related equipment. Tracey said the goal is to have the new antennae installed by the end of 2019.

The Lewes Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the conditional-use request. The final decision falls to mayor and city council.