Some Voices Rise In Favor Of Better Wireless Service in Malibu, Countering Anti 5G Claims
Written by 991KBU on March 1, 2021
Malibu residents who are in favor of improved wireless communications are coming out … after months of organized campaigns against improved wireless service by some Malibu activists.
Anti 5-G activists have been frustrated by federal rules that prohibit cities from restricting 5-G rollouts.
Right now … American wireless companies are taking existing radio frequencies that have been used for decades … and installing power pole antennas that are less powerful then big towers.
That means more of them … weaker … but more.
The federal government has not approved any new frequencies for 5G service … although that will be coming.
Anti-5G activists on Malibu have seized upon fears of 5-G … and organized to demand that the Malibu city council crack down on wireless antennas that are not truly 5-G.
And to be sure … the wireless companies have for years installed ugly … loud … and in some cases unsafe gear.
You have no doubt seen wads of unused cable on poles in Malibu.
But most of those ugly overhead messes belong to Charter cable or Frontier … they are wired companies and not wireless … and as such they are beyond the proposed city wireless ordinance.
All of this leads up to the Malibu Planning Commission’s meeting tonight … where the city’s proposed crackdown on wireless antennas and pole-mounted gear comes up.
The anti-5G campaign has peppered the Planning Commission with cut and paste form letters … which among other things call for a ban on wireless antennas within 15 hundred feet of any building.
The city staff says even a ban of just 500 feet from any building would effectively ban wireless antennas in the city.
The city staff has come up with a set of standards that places an emphasis on stealth facilities … with techniques to minimize visual impacts, and structural safety and security.
But not require any buffer zones.
The form letters from the anti-5G campaigners say Malibu residents says the small cite antennas do not improve voice communications … a contention that communications engineers would certainly dispute.
The form letter also says … and we quote … “our community does not want or need ultra high-speed wireless data service given the negative consequences.”
And it proclaims that “we have adequate coverage for voice and texting throughout the city for the most part.”
Not so … say some Malibu residents who are emerging into the argument now.
David Kelmenson tells the city planning commission says he lost his Frontier Internet and phone service for three weeks during the Woolsey Fire … and he says he is 110% in favor of doing whatever it takes to improve cell service…
And Greg Goode writes that he believes that good wireless coverage and strong signals should be our highest priority.
He wants the cell towers to look as nice as possible, but not at the expense of a strong signal.
And he rasies the issue that heavy beach days cause the existing networks to overload … blocking voice and data service.
The Planning Commission meets at 6:30 tonight on the Zoom platform …. there’s a link at the City of Malibu web page.
