Improving Our Connection: Why is our Cell Service so Bad and What Can Be Done

If you’ve ever had to pull over at the bottom of Coastline Drive to finish a phone call, you are not alone. For years, Sunset Mesa has been a notorious "dead zone."

Why is our reception so poor?

Our beautiful hillside location is a double-edged sword. Many of our homes sit in a natural "bowl" or on slopes that are shielded from the primary macro towers located in Pacific Palisades or further up the coast. Radio waves travel in a "line-of-sight," and our hills effectively block those signals.  We rely on our phones for everything from home security systems to emergency alerts. The existing nearby towers are also oversubscribed, meaning that even if you have "bars," your data may crawl during peak hours.

Safety First: The Need for Reliable Coverage

Beyond the frustration of dropped calls, this is a public safety issue. During the fire, we saw firsthand how critical it is to receive real-time evacuation notices and maintain contact with emergency services. Reliable cellular service is no longer a luxury; it is a vital utility for our neighborhood’s resilience.

Installing a new cell tower in a neighborhood like Sunset Mesa would be a complex long-term project, involving multiple State and County agencies. On this issue the SMPOA could be influential in convincing these agencies to fast-track approvals.

However, we will not move forward without a clear understanding of where the community stands.

Please take 2 minutes to share your thoughts:

• Step 1: Log in to your account on the PayHOA platform.

• Step 2: Click on the "Surveys" tab on your dashboard.

• Step 3: Complete the "2025 Cellular Infrastructure Survey."

Your feedback will directly influence whether and how we pursue this issue.

[Click Here to Log In to PayHOA and Take the Survey]

Thank you for helping us keep Sunset Mesa safe and connected.