The title (currently "The Quiet Zone: No wifi or cell phone service for 13,000 sq. miles") is inaccurate. There is cell phone service in a large part of that area. The radio quiet zone means there are restrictions on transmitters, but does not mean they are banned throughout the zone. In the vicinity of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory Site, the restrictions are a bit more strict, and there is no cell phone service. But the Southeast portion of the radio quiet zone has fairly good cell phone coverage.
my early years were spent about ten miles from green bank. this was before cell phones, but we did have a little bit of radio and broadcast tv.
there was an interesting article a few years ago about the guy in charge of patrolling it.