CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Using $1 million a year in cell phone fees, the state of West Virginia partnered with businesses and local governments to build up to 11 cell phone towers in the past year, but that may not be enough to reach all of the areas without service soon.

Cell phone service is not available in all of West Virginia. Byron Harris, head of the state Public Service Commission's consumer advocate division, said most of that is because of what federal agencies call "significant gaps," as opposed to "dead zones."

State officials can have some say over filling in "significant gaps," which usually are found along transportation corridors, he told lawmakers during legislative interim meetings in Charleston on Monday.

Delegate Brent Boggs, D-Braxton, immediately claimed the area along Interstate 79 passing through his county is a "significant gap."

Harris noted the state's $3-a-month fee for cell phone users caps the new cell tower fund at $1 million annually. His office estimates it costs as much as $500,000 to construct a tower in West Virginia.

Of the $31 million generated by the cell phone fund, more than $27 million was sent to county emergency centers. Homeland Security received about $1.5 million and State Police slightly more than $1 million.

"It's certainly at your prerogative to change that allocation [of funds]," Harris told members of the Legislature's joint committee on broadband.

He gave lawmakers several other options to raise funds, including making telecommunications services subject to the state sales tax and restoring the 4 percent gross receipts tax on telecommunications services.

Sens. Karen Facemyer, R-Jackson, and Evan Jenkins, D-Cabell, objected to any type of tax increase. Facemyer said she could see no reason for needing additional money.

"We know most [county emergency services centers] are building new buildings," she said.

That money should be free soon, she said.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Using $1 million a year in cell phone fees, the state of West Virginia partnered with businesses and local governments to build up to 11 cell phone towers in the past year, but that may not be enough to reach all of the areas without service soon.

Cell phone service is not available in all of West Virginia. Byron Harris, head of the state Public Service Commission's consumer advocate division, said most of that is because of what federal agencies call "significant gaps," as opposed to "dead zones."

State officials can have some say over filling in "significant gaps," which usually are found along transportation corridors, he told lawmakers during legislative interim meetings in Charleston on Monday.

Delegate Brent Boggs, D-Braxton, immediately claimed the area along Interstate 79 passing through his county is a "significant gap."

Harris noted the state's $3-a-month fee for cell phone users caps the new cell tower fund at $1 million annually. His office estimates it costs as much as $500,000 to construct a tower in West Virginia.

Of the $31 million generated by the cell phone fund, more than $27 million was sent to county emergency centers. Homeland Security received about $1.5 million and State Police slightly more than $1 million.

"It's certainly at your prerogative to change that allocation [of funds]," Harris told members of the Legislature's joint committee on broadband.

He gave lawmakers several other options to raise funds, including making telecommunications services subject to the state sales tax and restoring the 4 percent gross receipts tax on telecommunications services.

Sens. Karen Facemyer, R-Jackson, and Evan Jenkins, D-Cabell, objected to any type of tax increase. Facemyer said she could see no reason for needing additional money.

"We know most [county emergency services centers] are building new buildings," she said.

That money should be free soon, she said.

"The policy decisions are yours to make," Harris emphasized.

State officials also are not certain where all the "dead spots" in the state are located. The Federal Communications Commission's mapping, and others', is considered faulty.

"I would say information is one problem and, of course, money is another," Harris said.

But Jimmy Gianto, state Homeland Security and Emergency Management director, said his agency has partnered with businesses and local governments to construct 11 cell towers in the past year. Gianto is a member of the state Tower Assistance Fund.

"We make sure more than one carrier can go on those towers," he said.

So far, he said, all businesses and groups seem to have worked well together.

"It's been fairly smooth," he said.

While Boggs said he was getting no cell phone service from Big Otter south to Clendenin, Gianto said a new tower has recently been installed in Frame and his office is working on another in Clendenin.

"From the state level, we're building towers along the I-79 corridor," he said.

He said proposed appointees to the state's Broadband Development Council have been submitted to Gov. Joe Manchin and are awaiting his approval. Once that is completed, Gianto said the council will hold a meeting.

Reach Tom Searls at tomsea...@wvgazette.com or 348-5198.