Frustrated up-Island cell phone users may be getting an early Christmas present this year: a deal is nearing completion with a Boston-based telecommunications company for a series of remote antennas to be built on existing utility poles to enhance cellular reception in Aquinnah, Chilmark and West Tisbury.

On Monday a special committee created by selectmen in the three up-Island towns unanimously voted to recommend the American Tower Corporation as the installer of a distributed antenna system (DAS) that would provide almost complete coverage to the western half of the Island, an area that traditionally receives poor cell phone reception.

Chilmark selectmen on Tuesday unanimously voted to choose the company and begin contract negotiations, and West Tisbury did the same the following evening.

The DAS is an alternative to cell phone towers, using existing utility poles along main roads to mount small antennas called remote access nodes. The plan calls for 25 nodes to be linked together by a fiber optic cable suspended from existing utility poles.

The system is used in rural areas throughout the country; a similar system is now in use on Nantucket.

Upon approval by selectmen in the three towns — Aquinnah has yet to vote on the proposal — American Tower will begin construction immediately, with a projected completion date of around the middle of next year. The construction of the system will be paid for by the communications company and will not cost the towns anything.

The three towns instead will be paid a percentage of future compensation from the cell phone service providers.

Negotiations with NSTAR and Verizon will be necessary to get access to the existing utility poles they own. No service providers have yet committed to the system, although American Tower has indicated that at least two companies are ready to commit when the project is approved by the towns.

The recommendation of the special cell phone committee marks the end of a three-year process that began following a dispute between Cingular and the town of Aquinnah over the construction of a cell phone tower. That dispute ended with a court settlement, which provided Aquinnah with a five-year window to find an alternative to building a cell phone tower.

Both Chilmark and West Tisbury have enacted restrictive zoning bylaws to prevent cell phone towers.

Over the past six months the three towns have signed a memorandum of understanding to create the cell phone committee and send out a request for proposals. Only two companies, American Tower and New Jersey-based Crown Castle responded to that request.

At the regular West Tisbury selectmen meeting on Wednesday, selectman Richard Knabel, also a member of the cell phone committee, said American Tower was chosen because it offered the best cell phone coverage, had the simplest system of antennas, and was capable of starting construction immediately.

“They were willing to put up a lot of money up front without any guarantees from [cell phone providers],” he said.

Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter said the distribution antenna system was the best possible option.

“Our concern right along was to try to get coverage for the entire town . . . this does that,” he said.

Mr. Knabel said American Tower has also indicated it will help to install a public safety system that will enhance emergency communications. Mr. Knabel displayed a map of future cell phone service that showed coverage for most of the town except for a few isolated areas and remote beaches.

But considering no town money was used, Mr. Knabel said the DAS system was the best option.

“There is no question this will improve over what we have now,” he said.