Cell Phone Service in Rodeo, New Mexico

Many people are lost without their cell phones, they have become an integral part of our everyday lives.  But what happens when there is no coverage?  There are places in the U.S. where this is still no coverage and the San Simon Valley is one of those places.  But never fear, cell phone access is available.

The Painted Pony Resort has offered cell phone service for guests on the estate using a 3 watt mobile dual band Wilson cell phone repeater for the past year.  This small unit picks up the weak signal from Lordsburg or Douglas and rebroadcasts the signal through a small antenna.  It is carrier independent so any service is possible.  In reality though carriers such as Verizon and those services using their antenna system are the only services that can be used on the estate.

Several other businesses have also made cell service a reality in the valley.  The Chiricahua Desert Museum and Mountain Valley Lodge in Rodeo now also offer cell phone service.  Using an internet based system, Verizon cell phone coverage is available at these businesses.  The ability to make emergency calls is a real plus and the foresight demonstrated by these businesses means visitors are never out of touch if they so desire.  While wireless internet is also provided at these businesses and others in the San Simon Valley, direct cell phone access is a real plus.

Addendum:

As of last month (2/2013) cell service became a reality in the valley.  Verizon cell service is now available from the tower in Antelope pass.

Cell Phone Meeting in Animas, New Mexico

Attended a community meeting in Animas the other evening.  Hosted by the offices of 3 state senators and a communications official from the Department of Homeland Security, there were about 50-60 people in attendance.  The senators aids discussed the 3 options for communications in the boot heel.

1.  Cell phone towers
2.  Satellite phone service
3.  Ranch radios

The ranch radio system has been tried and the major complaints were, lack of privacy during calls and no available operator during emergencies.  Unfortunately, the ranch radio system relies on volunteers which are not always available.  The satellite phone option which included a discussion of the new AT&T cell satellite phone hybrid did not receive a warm welcome because of the costs involved.  The primary interest was in increasing cell phone coverage around the boot heel and it was argued that everyone has a cell phone in their pocket and as a result of the mobile tower temporarily installed by the Forrest Service earlier this year it should be possible to create coverage for the boot heel.  The aids laid out the reality of the situation saying that even if towers were built (and no coverage study has been done) a cell phone carrier (a private business) must install and maintain the equipment.  In addition, access to a routing cable must be close by to reduce instillation costs.  The break even point, according to one service provider, was 150,000 minutes/month usage.  This translated into a population density of about 20 fold higher than the current density. After the meeting, I spoke with one of the aids and said signal is available up and down the San Simon Valley south of I-10 where I drive with a 3 watt dual band cell phone repeater.  I showed him the Wilson wireless repeater that is used at the Painted Pony Resort and his reply was "is that all of it", and "where did you get it?"  I replied Amazon.  A couple of hundred bucks and 80% of the problem is solved.  Of course it is a bit cumbersome on horseback, nor I would not want to hike with the 12 volt power supply, and I'm sure there are areas where signal is completely unavailable (back in Cave Creek Canyon I do not receive signal) but cell coverage will never be the same as downtown Albuquerque.  But it is possible to improve the situation now, not waiting for others to find a fix.

Don't let Twitter pass you by

It is somewhat amusing that the microblogging phenomena should have by passed Rodeo and the San Simon Valley, but it is true.  Microblogging relies on cell phone service and much of the bootheel of New Mexico is  bereft of service.  Unlike most of the planet cell phone coverage does not extend to southwestern New Mexico.  People have been writing the governor and their representatives about the lack of cell phone service and have made the argument that border security would increase with cell phone coverage, but with no results.  During the Horseshoe fire earlier this year a portable COW was brought in and it provided coverage for the valley and Chiricahua Mountains to support the fire fighters.  But the fire was contained and the COW left with the Forrest Service taking the short lived cell service with it.  But there is a remedy to the problem, your own personal cell repeater.  Wilson Electronics makes personal cell phone repeaters for both mobile and home use.  There is one onsite at the Painted Pony Resort and cell phone calls from PPR are a reality.  The only drawback is the limited number of services that are close enough to be received by the repeater.  Verizon and Alltel are the 2 services that have been successfully accessed from PPR.  AT&T does not have a tower close enough for the repeater to reach and other services have not been tested. Below is a map of cell towers from Cell Reception, notice that Rodeo and the PPR are about 30 miles from the nearest tower.  Even so with the mobile repeater from Wilson, strong signal is found throughout the valley and into Cave Creek Canyon.