Cell phone reception has been a hot topic as of late.  Death grip aside, many mobile phone users wonder why wireless carriers don’t just build more cell towers to improve reception.

But building new cell towers isn’t as easy as it sounds.  The city of Hunting Beach is facing two lawsuits from T-Mobile after the city prevented the wireless carrier from building new cell towers.  The issue will ultimately be decided by voters after the Huntington Beach City council voted to put the issue on the November ballot.

In New Denver, Canada, over 30 protesters picketed at the site of a new cell phone tower, temporarily preventing construction workers from beginning their work.  This protest was the culmination of a three-year long battle between residents and Telus, who is building the tower.

Even meetings to discuss plans for cell phone tower construction can be an ordeal.  In Tampa Bay, Florida, city residents and wireless carrier representatives got into a heated argument before a planned community meeting even got started.

While the quality of wireless service is a key differentiator for wireless carriers, improving the quality of wireless services or rolling out 4G services has proved to be a difficult task.  The construction of new cell towers has been increasingly delayed due to safety and environmental concerns, and this trends seems to be building momentum.

Sprint has already rolled out 4G services in 43 cities, while T-Mobile recently announced plans for a 4G network in 25 cities.  Still, it appears that broader rollouts of 4G services will be a difficult, controversial task for wireless carriers.