T-Mobile customers in Weston, Connecticut are struggling with dropped calls and weak signals after the wireless carrier shut down service at a key cell tower over a rent dispute with the small town.
The drama centers around a cell tower on the town’s municipal campus that Weston purchased at the end of 2024. According to PhoneArena, the town then negotiated new lease agreements with all three major carriers using the tower. While AT&T agreed to pay $85,000 annually and Verizon signed on for $94,000, T-Mobile balked at the proposed $88,200 yearly rate.
Instead of negotiating further, T-Mobile simply turned off its equipment remotely and stopped paying rent entirely. The company claims it’s “optimizing nearby sites” to maintain service, but customers tell a different story. Most T-Mobile users in the area now get just one bar of signal strength – enough to send text messages but not reliable enough for phone calls.
What makes this particularly frustrating for customers is that T-Mobile’s official coverage map still shows full service in Weston, even though the reality on the ground is much different. The company earned over $81 billion in revenue last year, making the $57,000 annual rent increase seem relatively small in comparison.
Town officials believe T-Mobile is using the service disruption as a pressure tactic. “T-Mobile’s strategy looks like an attempt to create fear and anxiety among Weston residents,” said First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor. The town argues that accepting a lower rate wouldn’t be fair to taxpayers who help fund the tower’s maintenance and operations.
For now, T-Mobile customers in Weston have limited options. One resident successfully obtained a refund by contacting the Better Business Bureau, but most are simply dealing with poor service while hoping the two sides can reach an agreement.
Source: PhoneArena