I agree that the focus should be on Verizon. They seem to have the most subscribers without any coverage in the Valley (not the most subscribers overall, just the most frustrated subscribers that visit the MRV). As I said before, I get reasonably good coverage in the Valley with Sprint.

Susan -

It has to be Verizon. They are the legacy cell carrier in all of the Northeast (grew out of NYNEX and Bell Atlantic) so they attracted a lot of customers with their incumbent status and the superior network coverage that allegedly brings. It's been pretty disappointing to see their service in the MRV actually regress in the last 3 years. I used to be able to get a signal above 2500' at SB. No more. Given that Congular and Sprint already seem to have a modicum of service in the area, focusing on Verizon is a no-brainer.

I'm on it. No idea where this will go, but I am willing to work on it during the Spring lull. I may be back with more questions, but off I go....

The Cingular GSM service roams on the Unicel towers, which cover the valley pretty well and the ski area very well (there's a tower in the 22 acres parking lot). Service is good even in Slidebroook.

With Verizon you can get a reliable signal at the top of Upper Organgrinder, the top of Roxbury Gap, a section of German Flats Road, and on Bragg Hill but that's about it. A lot of people from outside of the valley have Verizon--even Vermonters. Verizon has said there aren't enough residents here to justify an investment in improving coverage, but I don't think they realized that thousands of their subscribers come up here on weekends and holidays.

noski wrote:

so based on these comments, it seems Verizon & Cingular are most poplular services for visitors at their home location (whether or not there is service in the MRV). Of those it seems Cingular has the best coverage currently. So if I were to launch this project I should focus on Verizon? (again, for benefit of visitors, not residents)

Verizon is definitely the most popular in Mass. I have Verizon and pretty much everyone I know has Verizon as well. Coverage is spotty from 89 in NH until a little after the Stowe exit in VT.

Well, here is an update. Verizon is the master of veils of secrecy. I have gotten 4 canned email responses to date. One each from Inetta, Shikina, Stacy and Cass. Clearly there is no real person who is on the other end of my request.... Anyone have a contact before I call the Public Service Board for info?

I actually talked to a woman today who was (a) named Ellen, (b) was in Walmouth MA and (c) knew where VT was. It was a beautiful thing. I have her personal cell number now, and she is handing my request off to Engineering. If I don't hear from them within one week, I am to call her back. She says they are now doing VT enhancements though at first glance could not see where our area was on "the list"- but would defer to Engineering. Things are looking up.

Did they check to see if they have it listed as Sugarbush, as opposed to Mad River Valley?

May just be keyed to the ski area?

But if they know where Vermont is, that would be a good thing.

Or maybe not?

Today I spoke with the person in charge of real estate & development. He told me that there are no immediate plans for this area to receive service. Priorities for VT are currently I-89, I-91, Rt 4 and Rt 7.... I have requested a formal response from their press person that I can post here, or they can post directly. (My next tack is to figure out how to get a Corporate Retreat or meeting here of Verizon mucky mucks.... then see what they think when they can't use their phone.) I also asked if a petition/letter with 1000 signatures would make a difference. I figured between us all we could grassroots that.

noski wrote:

Today I spoke with the person in charge of real estate & development. He told me that there are no immediate plans for this area to receive service. Priorities for VT are currently I-89, I-91, Rt 4 and Rt 7.... I have requested a formal response from their press person that I can post here, or they can post directly. (My next tack is to figure out how to get a Corporate Retreat or meeting here of Verizon mucky mucks.... then see what they think when they can't use their phone.) I also asked if a petition/letter with 1000 signatures would make a difference. I figured between us all we could grassroots that.

Keep up the great work Susan!!

noski wrote:

Today I spoke with the person in charge of real estate & development. He told me that there are no immediate plans for this area to receive service. Priorities for VT are currently I-89, I-91, Rt 4 and Rt 7.... I have requested a formal response from their press person that I can post here, or they can post directly. (My next tack is to figure out how to get a Corporate Retreat or meeting here of Verizon mucky mucks.... then see what they think when they can't use their phone.) I also asked if a petition/letter with 1000 signatures would make a difference. I figured between us all we could grassroots that.

It may not be that difficult or expensive for them to accomodate us. Obvisouly Unicell / Cingular already has a tower somewhere in or near the Valley. I would be surprised if there wasn't space available on said tower. With current lease rates only about $2000 a month, it seems like short money to keep quite a few people happy. As you said, the key is getting the right person at Verizon to notice.

My company does work for Verizon all over Vermont, in the cell tower regime. We do the survey, the design, the layout, the whole 8 1/2 yards. I asked one of our guys who is in close contact with Verizon about the lack of a reliable signal around Sugarbush. He has the same problem too. The problem however is that VZW doesn't like to do "island" sites. They would rather do "string" sites to tie in a bunch of sites together. Our concentration right now is on the I-91 and US 7 corridors. Even the stuff for US 4 corridor right now is on hold. So unfortunetly I don't see VZW coming to the Valley anytime soon. When they're done with the major corridors, I doubt VT 100 in the area of the 'Bush would be considered a major one since there'd be quite the gap through Granville Gulf, and I doubt getting a tower built in there would be quick and easy, given its a preserved area/reservation. Down the line, though, who knows what'll happen.

This is the one area which I had PERFECT coverage with Sprint and now I switch to VZW and have nothing.

-shady

To my surprise my tmobile blackberry has worked fine for both email and phone service with near full bars at the base and on the mtn.

random_ski_guy wrote:

To my surprise my tmobile blackberry has worked fine for both email and phone service with near full bars at the base and on the mtn.

Maybe they have a deal with Cingular/Unicel?

I don't know what's going on with t-mobile. I checked my bill online, don't see any roaming charges for my time this week in VT.