FALMOUTH – A Massachusetts company is suing this southern Maine town, claiming it violated federal law by rejecting a plan to build a telecommunications tower.

A year ago, the Falmouth Zoning Appeals Board rejected American Towers Inc.’s proposal to build a 170-foot tower on the east side of town.

American Towers on Monday filed a lawsuit against Falmouth and town officials in U.S. District Court, claiming violations of the Federal Telecommunications Act. The suit says that by barring towers on the east side of town, Falmouth creates a gap in wireless service in an area with interstate highways.

Falmouth’s attorney, William Plouffe, said he didn’t have enough information to determine the strength of American Towers’ case.

The complaint says Falmouth’s zoning allows towers only on parcels higher than 400 feet in elevation and located in farm or forest zoning districts.

In effect, that limits towers to two locations, both on the west side of Falmouth, which already has telecommunications towers.