PEISpotty cell service in Cornwall could soon be a thing of the past. Bell is proposing a new cell ‘pole’ in the town, just west of Charlottetown.Bell proposes cell ‘pole’ on property of St. Francis of Assisi ChurchMarilee Devries · CBC News · Posted: Sep 24, 2025 7:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoMore bars (of cell service) coming for Cornwall residents with new tower on the wayThere’s a new cell tower coming to the Town of Cornwall that’ll hopefully help reduce the number of dropped calls. Bell is building the tower behind the new RCMP barracks, on the property of a church. As CBC’s Cody MacKay found out, residents and town officials are giving the proposal a good reception.Spotty cell service in Cornwall could soon be a thing of the past.Bell is proposing a new cell “pole” in the town, just west of Charlottetown. It would look different than a typical tower, only reaching about 30 metres in height and with a slimmer design. It would be located behind the new RCMP barracks on the property of St. Francis of Assisi Church, just off Main Street. Coun. Corey Frizzell said council frequently hears concerns from residents about poor cell service.”Some folks have to go out into their driveways to make phone calls and take phone calls,” he said. “It’s concerning.”Donald Avery agrees. He said he experiences dropped calls every time he is in Cornwall.Donald Avery describes the cell service in Cornwall as ‘frustrating,’ saying he experiences dropped calls every time he’s in the area. (Tony Davis/CBC)”It’s frustrating. We’re in 2025,” he said. “It makes me want to throw my cellphone out the door, out the window.” Frizzell said Cornwall’s council has been lobbying for a fix for years.”From our perspective, it’s nice to see some movement on this.”Coun. Corey Frizzell says officials in Cornwall have been lobbying for better cell service in the town for years. (Tony Davis/CBC)He said post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022 shed a light on the importance of improving cell service.”It was … especially concerning for our senior population. Some of them live at home alone and their cellphones [are] their only method of communication,” Frizzell said.”When that goes down, you know, it’s concerning for them for sure.”‘Happy we can help’St. Francis of Assisi will get money from Bell for allowing the tower on the property. Rev. Peter Wojakiewicz said those funds would go toward repairs for the church. He said the congregation is happy to play a role in helping the community have better cell service. “Our mission is to help others,” Wojakiewicz said. “We are happy that we can help in different ways.”Rev. Peter Wojakiewicz says the St. Francis of Assisi Church congregation is happy to play a role in helping the community with improved cell service. (Tony Davis/CBC)In an email to CBC News, Bell said the site “was selected to improve speed and performance for residents and businesses near Lowther Park, where demand on the network continues to grow.””This installation features a newer, more compact design that’s smaller, sleeker, and has a reduced footprint,” the statement continued. Construction on the tower is expected to start after public consultation is done this fall. Residents can submit questions to Bell until Oct. 10. ABOUT THE AUTHORMarilee Devries is a journalist with CBC P.E.I. She has a journalism degree from Toronto Metropolitan University. She can be reached at marilee.devries@cbc.caWith files from Cody MacKay
Proposal for new cell tower aims to dial up better service for residents in Cornwall, P.E.I.
