WAVERLY -- New antennas attached to a water tower should improve coverage in town for some customers of a cell phone company.

U.S. Cellular recently completed another cell site on the about 137-foot water tower in northwest Waverly near the Pizza Hut. The company already maintains several other tower locations in Waverly and in neighboring communities.

"This is just to expand coverage in the downtown area for what we call better in-building communication … ," said John Matthews, a network manager for U.S. Cellular.

Matthews added that U.S. Cellular customers on the Wartburg College campus and at the Waverly Health Center should also experience benefits.

"We are continuing to expand our coverage areas and meet the demands of our customers," Matthews added.

Cell phone companies have been leasing city high spots for years, City Administrator Dick Crayne said. Adding antennas to existing structures may be cheaper and easier to get up and running than building a new structure, he added.

"It also makes sense when you look at minimizing the communication infrastructure visual impact to the environment," Crayne said.

The arrangement is also a source of revenue for cities. Currently, Waverly holds five leases from companies in the wireless communication business, said City Engineer Mike Cherry. The agreements collectively bring in about $56,000 a year for the water division, Cherry added.

The recent construction in Waverly is part of a larger effort by U.S. Cellular to improve quality and coverage in Iowa, according to a prepared statement issued by the company.

U.S. Cellular made a $47-million network investment in 2006 that included the addition of 34 cell sites across Iowa. Twenty-two of the sites were in rural areas. U.S. Cellular counts more than 580 sites in the state.

Contact Karen Heinselman at (319) 291-1581 or karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com.