OCEAN PINES, Md. - Cell phone users in Ocean Pines are facing a safety issue as poor signal strength continues to disrupt communication. Police Chief Tim Robinson shared his firsthand experiences with unreliable service during a recent community meeting.
“What I experienced and what others experienced were dropped calls, unable to get a signal, looking down at your phone and seeing either 'S.O.S.' only or no signal, even when you were outside at times,” Robinson said.
Currently, the closest cell tower to Ocean Pines is located off Route 90, but Ocean Pines local David Tanner noted that the Verizon tower in the area is significantly smaller than others, which may contribute to the ongoing service issues.
“If people don’t like the service they’re getting, there are lots of other options to go with other companies,” Tanner suggested. “There are ways around it.”
While Verizon has yet to respond to inquiries from CoastTV, Robinson stated that the police department has been in discussions with Worcester County officials and Verizon in an effort to find a solution. “We’re actually pursuing getting a new tower put up here in Ocean Pines. We realize that cell phone coverage here is a concern, and we're taking steps to see if we can fix it,” he said.
Robinson has expressed that the farther they are from the cell tower, the more trouble they may experience with their signal. This is particularly concerning as emergencies often arise unexpectedly. The Ocean Pines Police Department remains hopeful that improvements to cell service will be realized by this time next year.
