Visit follows Senator’s advocacy for improved cell service in Pinal County
CASA GRANDE — Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema visited Sunscape, an RV Resort in Pinal County. Sunscape residents lacked reliable cell service, and earlier this year, Sinema drew attention to their concerns in a Senate Commerce Committee hearing. After the hearing, Verizon Wireless confirmed they would build a cell tower to service Sunscape. Sinema met with residents and discussed how the newly-built cell tower is working.
“We are working to close the ‘digital divide’ between urban and rural communities in Arizona and make sure communities like Sunscape have access to services that keep them safe, deliver high-quality health care, allow for world-class education, and foster a climate in which businesses can grow,” said Sinema.
The Sunscape RV Resort is a community of residents age 55 and older located in Pinal County, Arizona. Depending on the time of year, between 850 and 1,000 residents live at Sunscape. No matter which cell provider they choose, the area has lacked reliable cell phone service for 15 years. Sunscape RV Resort residents wrote Sinema earlier this year and explained how they lacked consistent cell service, preventing them from calling 911 in the event of an emergency. Sinema’s staff visited Sunscape and heard from residents and management directly about the connectivity challenges they faced, and Sinema shared their story at the Senate Commerce Committee hearing and called for further action to close the digital divide. Shortly after the hearing, Verizon Wireless confirmed they would build a cell tower to service the residents of Sunscape.