In the US, everyone can easily find the location of every cell tower and antenna that is in proximity to one’s residence, work, etc (see here). This is mandated by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Does Cayman have such a requirement and a map? If so, where to find it and how often is it updated? If there is an antenna above my child’s bedroom, I would want to know that.
Auntie’s answer: As many of my regular readers may know, while lots of the questions I receive seem like they would be simple to answer, the reality is not so much. And you would know this because I have no issue in discussing the sometimes convoluted path I have to take to get a proper response.
This question falls into the “not so much” category. First, though, I will tell you one thing I learned that is relevant to your query, and then I will explain why I cannot tell you anything about the location of cell towers in Cayman. I hope you stick around for that part since you might find it equal parts amusing and frustrating, but probably not unbelievable.
Alee Fa’amoe, the deputy CEO and executive director of Information and Communications Technology at OfReg, the Utility Regulation and Competition Office, once again proved helpful and responsive (not to mention patient with all the questions I had to ask). By your question, it appears you are concerned by the possible safety issues of living near an antenna, and so he addressed that point.
Mr Fa’amoe explained that all OfReg ICT licensees, including cellular or mobile service providers, are expected to follow certain international standards.
“Therefore, radio signals transmitted by antennas on cell towers should fall within internationally accepted safety parameters. If anyone has specific safety concerns in this area, we would invite them to contact us at info@ofreg.ky or to call the office at 946-4282 and ask for the ICT team.”
OK, that was the easy part. I realise your actual question was about finding out where the cell towers are located in Cayman, which doesn’t seem complicated. Well, allow me to chart my journey on that question. Before we start that trip I do want to say that every person I dealt with responded in a timely manner and tried to be helpful.
First, Mr Fa’amoe told me that since OfReg doesn’t regulate the actual structures, the office does not have any information on mapping the towers. The suggestion was to try the Department of Planning. Fair enough.
However, Planning sent me to the National Geographic Information Systems section of the Lands and Survey Department, explaining it would have the requested maps. Not so fast. That department “doesn’t have ownership rights or permission to distribute cell tower data”. It was suggested I reach out to the individual providers that build the towers.
I admit I was beginning to feel worn out at this point and far from optimistic I would find any success by contacting the providers, but I did so anyway. Neither Flow nor Digicel provided any map of towers, but they both suggested who might be able to help.
I feel like I should insert a dramatic pause (with possibly a drum roll) before I divulge who I was next sent to.
The answer is…why, OfReg, of course. And that completed my endless loop, along with my spending a whole bunch of time I will never get back.
So, I sadly cannot point you to a map of cell towers in Cayman. And with that I open the proverbial floor to suggestions on where else to look.
Send questions to auntie@caymannewsservice.com
or leave your question in the comment section of any article
The aphids appear to dance in a manner synchronized to the passage of a radar beam of 14 miles distance, as determined by Dr. Ott. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=018C2oG2Rcs
Even using your smartphone’s “Field Test Mode”, in Cayman you’ll find we just get unreadable GSM settings from circa 1998 dressed up with an old “3G” network header to make you feel like you’re part of the modern information age. Not sure what ICTA does to enforce any performance standard (if any actually exists), or how/when they test compliance.
Here is the link to the International EMF Scientist Appeal. (A 2015 United Nations and World Health Organization petition signed by 250 experts). Initial release date: May 11, 2015
Date of this version: June 15, 2019.
https://www.emfscientist.org/index.php/emf-scientist-appeal
“Collectively we also request that:
children and pregnant women be protected;
guidelines and regulatory standards be strengthened;
manufacturers be encouraged to develop safer technology;
utilities responsible for the generation, transmission, distribution, and monitoring of electricity maintain adequate power quality and ensure proper electrical wiring to minimize harmful ground current;
the public be fully informed about the potential health risks from electromagnetic energy and taught harm reduction strategies;
medical professionals be educated about the biological effects of electromagnetic energy and be provided training on treatment of patients with electromagnetic sensitivity;
governments fund training and research on electromagnetic fields and health that is independent of industry and mandate industry cooperation with researchers;
media disclose experts’ financial relationships with industry when citing their opinions regarding health and safety aspects of EMF-emitting technologies; and
white-zones (radiation-free areas) be established.”
As of July 2, 2019, 244 scientists and medical doctors from 36 countries have signed the appeal urgently calling for the EU to halt the roll out of 5G due to serious potential health effects from this new technology.
Effects include increased cancer risk, cellular stress, increase in harmful free radicals, genetic damages, structural and functional changes of the reproductive system, learning and memory deficits, neurological disorders, and negative impacts on general well-being in humans.
“…structural and functional changes of the reproductive system” is not a joke.
The fiction behind “Children of Men” movie might become a reality in not so distant future. 5th extinction would come from the man-made EMF, not global warming. When technology is superior to intelligence, men lose.
Since “we, the people” can do nothing about it, other than to be aware and spread the awareness, enjoy your life while you can.
Maps.google.com
I sometimes wonder, when reading the questions to Auntie, and the answers, whether the questioner is
a) trying to be clever
b) trying to stir things that are best left alone
c) just plain ignorant
d) intent on upsetting or hurting the feeling of someone else
e) wants to see his or her thoughts in a public forum
f) being provocative for the sake of it.
This question falls in several of those categories. All you have to do is walk, cycle or drive around the island, the ‘cell-towers’ are plain to see. Some are lattice towers and some are monopoles, (giant tubes). Most are between 100 and 130 feet high as this is the optimum height for cell-coverage except in intensely built-up areas where the antennæ are often on the top of buildings.
Neither Lands and Survey nor the Dept. of Planning will be able to tell anyone where they are as 1) When you get planning permission for a tower you don’t have to state what you are going to use it for – it doesn’t make the slightest difference as far as the planning regulations are concerned, 2) Lands and survey may be able to pin-point the location of a tower from aerial photographs (although it is quite difficult to spot them that way) but, again, they have no way of knowing what the tower is used for.
Towers in the C.I. are used for:
1) Government communications, including police, fire, ambulance, hazard management etc
2) Radio broadcasting
3) TV broadcasting
4) Amateur radio
5) Weather observations
6) Cell-sites
7) Aviation communications
just to name those which come readily to mind.
Why anyone should be particularly concerned about the location of one particular service (cell sites in this instance) is rather strange unless that persons wants to try and hack into the data stream or listen in on the telephone conversations. Don’t bother, you can’t.
The idea of electro-magnetic emissions causing cancer is ludicrous at the power levels used by cellular systems; there have been numerous tests carried out over the years and one can be sure that if any real risk existed then the systems would have been shut down at their inception.
The most ignorant comment.
There is a steadily growing movement IN THE WORLD to ban 5G and control electro magnetic pollution.
“In an appeal to the European Union, more than 180 scientists and doctors from 36 countries warn about the danger of 5G, which will lead to a massive increase in involuntary exposure to electromagnetic radiation.”
EU 5G Appeal – Scientists warn of potential serious health effects of 5G
https://www.jrseco.com/european-union-5g-appeal-scientists-warn-of-potential-serious-health-effects-of-5g/
“Finland ironically becomes latest front in global 5G health battle” https://venturebeat.com/2019/03/12/finland-ironically-becomes-latest-front-in-global-5g-health-battle/
“Wireless Radiation: Stop the 5G Network on Earth and in Space, Devastating Impacts on Health and the Environment” https://www.globalresearch.ca/wireless-radiation-stop-the-5g-network-on-earth-and-in-space-devastating-impacts-on-health-and-the-environment/5665066
I DO want to know locations of the cell towers, multipurpose towers, microwave arrays and radio wave antennas that are beaming EMF at MY HOUSE 24×7, and find out what types of EMF they are broadcasting, who owns them, which ones are registered and which are not, what kinds of towers are planned in the near future for MY area. Then I’ll decide what I am going to do about it.
All emotions aside, this information is PUBLIC in most countries, and MANDATORY. Cayman OfReg must make sure this information is available to people of The Cayman Islands. Instead, everyone seems playing stupid here.
No hidden agenda in the question. It is straight forward: I WANT TO KNOW WHO and WHERE AND THE TYPES OF EMF I, AND MY FAMILY ARE EXPOSED TO 24X7.
@E. Lectron
Do you know about existence of “safe” levels of EMF exposure? Do you know that WIFI is banned in France nursery schools? That WiFi routers turned off in elementary schools? In France (and other countries) cell phone ads MUST recommend phones be held away from the head? Location of wireless routers must be posted. \https://ehtrust.org/france-new-national-law-bans-wifi-nursery-school/
So you appear to have no idea what the question is about and all your limited mind could come up with is some hidden agenda or sinister intentions. Either educate yourself, or don’t comment.
Cayman is using modern technology but appears oblivious to the dangers that come with it. “If I don’t see it, don’t hear it and can’t touch, it doesn’t exist” mentality prevails, even among those who are getting paid to protect members of public. The simply, like E. Lectron , have no idea what it is all about.
You can buy some foil paper to make a hat from Hurley’s, Foster’s, or Kirk’s if you would like. The location of those buildings is readily accessible.
Lands and Survey said they were not authorized to “release the data”, if you read the article. How do you conclude they don’t know where the towers are?
Good point.
God bless Alee.
To the person asking the question, I believe that you would be able to see a cell tower if its close to your child’s bedroom – they’re not exactly “phantom”! Seems like the purpose of your question is less innocent – perhaps related to knowing where your cell signal can be tracked from?
WOW, what kind of mind would arrive to such a conclusion?
Ever heard of EMF refugees? Many thousands of people around the world are seeking places to live that are free of man-made microwave radiation and electrical pollution. Many have had to give up their career, home, school, community and family in order to find a safe place to exist in our modern world that is now filled with EMF pollution.
Contact MRCU flight department, they know where every tower and tower crane is to avoid flying into them.
In the US one can easily type an address and locate the cell tower, multipurpose towers, microwave arrays and radio wave antennas that are beaming EMF at you, and find out what types of EMF they are broadcasting, who owns them, which ones are registered and which are not, what kinds of towers are planned in the near future for your area, and more, displaying it all within a 4 mile radius from your house.
Another example of an inept government.
Are these towers not licensed by the government? If so why does the licensing department not have an idea of the locations? After all they license a 2 stop elevator, they surely must license these towers.
Thank you Auntie!
There are may be international standards, but who is monitoring and measuring?
For those who don’t know, in 2008 two of the US largest telephone companies, Verizon and AT&T, have installed temporary communications towers at the Arizona ranch of Senator John McCain to provide cellular telephone coverage there.
10 years later (at it takes about 8-9 years) he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma brain tumor which potentially linked to wireless radiation exposure. McCain was clearly exposed to excessive far-field radiation via the two cell phone towers on his property.
A rapid increase in cheese sales also saw a rapid increase in divorce cases.
With your logic, cheese must be the cause of divorces.
Brain Tumours: Rise in Glioblastoma Multiforme Incidence in England 1995–2015 Suggests an Adverse Environmental or Lifestyle Factor
Incidence of glioblastoma brain tumor increased tenfold between 1985 and 2015 in the U.K.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2018/7910754/
Why would you ridicule people wanting to protect themselves and their children?
Ignorance is not bliss in this case.
San Diego State University Brain Cancer Cluster from Cell Tower?
http://mieuxprevenir.blogspot.com/2012/11/san-diego-state-university-brain-cancer.html
Rich was a graduate student who died of a brain tumor at 29 years old along with several others who worked on the same floor across from a cell tower.
http://www.parentsforsafetechnology.org/the-story-of-rich-farvar–a-mother-s-story.html
To you and above, congrats, you know how to google and find random blogs that fit your beliefs.
Try citing on university level if you’re playing armchair expert, and explain why the technology is still so prevalent if so dangerous.
and the evidence for this claim is?…….
Go live in proximity to a cell tower and report back in10 years. You would be the evidence.
the question is about a map of cell towers and antennas in Grand Cayman. What people do with that map is their business.
Lands and Survey is being cute. They know where the towers are. All they have to do is generate a map showing it. They don’t have to use the company maps. The locations are in the public domain, I can see them with my eyes. It’s no different than where my house is located.
Auntie has also just proved that the Universe is closed , she started at OfReg and ended up back where she started.
I suggest that since we will be having an 80 storey building soon that one condition of the approval of those plans should be that telephone, TV, radio and marine antennas be allowed on the roof of that building. That will allow all other towers to be dismantled and offer excellent reception locally and possibly in neighboring countries.
Forgive me, I am dreaming.
And residents of the tower’s top floors would develop cancer and neurological damage at the speed of light.