Come this fall, residents in the Cameron area of Marshall County will be able to pick up their cellphones for the first time and dial out.


Officials broke ground Thursday on a new cellular tower that is set to enhance the signal in that area as well as some other rural areas of the county.


The project has been in the works for about five years and since then, more groups have gotten involved and more people started voicing concern, which eventually led to the groundbreaking.


The $493,000 project is a collaboration of the commission, AT&T and Consol Energy.


"We've talked with several residents out in the area, and things take time. That's what some don't understand; you just can't do that overnight. And without a partnership like this, it would have never happened," said Marshall County Commissioner Jake Padlow.


Consol Energy donated the property to the county to build the tower. Company officials said they got involved because cellphone services is critical to have not only at mine portals but for all law enforcement agencies.


"For our EMS, our fire departments, our police, ambulances -- for them to be able to communicate in these remote locations, it's a win-win-win," said David Kelly of Consol Energy.


Construction of the 340-foot tower will now begin, and when it's operational, AT&T officials said it will put the city of Cameron back on the map.


"It's really going to be like turning on a light switch. You know when I drove into Cameron this morning, my cellphone coverage went completely dark. It's going to be a vast improvement. It's going to provide communication services to folks who didn't have it before," said Terry McDonald, AT&T sales center vice president.


Crews are also installing a radio system for the county's 911 center, police, fire and the EMA. Cellphone service should be available in October.