U.S. Cellular finishes construction on towers

U.S. Cellular, the nation’s sixth-largest wireless service carrier, recently completed construction on three new cell towers in Maine.

The towers, located in Orland, Norridgewock and Stillwater, are part of the company’s expansion of its Maine network, which is currently made up of more than 200 towers.

The Orland tower will increase coverage and capacity along U.S. Route 1 and Route 15 and in the towns of East Orland and North Penobscot; the Norridgewock tower will provide increased coverage along U.S. Route 201, U.S. Route 2 and Route 8; and the Stillwater tower will boost signals along Interstate 95 and in the town of Stillwater, according to a press release.

Jim Holmes, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in New England, said U.S. Cellular had identified the communities as priorities because they lacked quality wireless service. The company used money it received from the Universal Service Fund to remedy the situation.

“People everywhere depend on their cell phones to meet critical safety and business needs, and the Universal Service Fund allows us to expand our service to Maine’s rural communities,” Holmes said in a statement.

The Universal Service Fund, created by the Federal Communications Commission, is designed to increase and improve affordable telephone access to rural communities.

Companies seeking grants from the fund must pay a percentage of profits as determined by the FCC, but they are allowed to pass the cost directly on to the customer. Most companies choose to pass the fee on and mark the cost on consumers’ telephone bills.

For more information, visit www.connectingruralamerica.org.