Cell Phones and radios

[sugarboarder]

Will someone please call me about this?

[djd66]

"We" is my company, who is a subcontractor for Verizon. We've done towers from Brattleboro to Newport and all points in between. And I used to do this work for a company in CT as well, where I dealt with towers from the Jersey Shore to the Maine coast.

Yes, the difficult part is definetely getting the towers permitted, between the Act250, various local and state, and of course, adjoining land owners. Since new tower installations are limited due to visual impact, they cannot be over a certain height, usually 10-20' above average tree height. This limits most of our towers to just over 100'. Given the thickness of woods in VT, and the hilly terrain, having a tower at a max height of 100' may not work for every carrier. For instance, since VZW puts up the tower, they get the top spot. Most of these towers are capable of supporting 2-3 additional carriers, but, lets say, AT&T may not be satisfied with the height of 80' on a tower, since that may put the antennaes in the trees, thus limiting the range.

Exceptions are those towers which are granfathered in, such as radio towers, tv towers, and such. Those are not required to "blend in" (ie- be pine trees) and are more likely to have extensions put in which extend the pole, usually by 10-20'. Such a cell company may go lower on the tower, as the tower may be some 200-300' tall. An example is the towers on Mt Mansfield and Ascutney. I was performing the work on Mt Mansfield on one warm 50 deg summit day in October - quite the installation up there. Nice drive up, too.

At these towers, equipment is generally confined to a pre-fab shelter building, which has all necessary equipment for the antennaes to function. Hookup to local phone and electric service is required, though phone line hookup can be replaced by microwaves, in the cases of mtn top towers. There is nothing saying that the carriers can replace their equipment. This has been done in the past, and I used to be a part of it in NJ, as antennaes and equipment were replaced to upgrade equipment, expand coverage, etc.

Within the past year, I have worked at Mt Snow, Stratton, Magic, Bromley, Okemo, Killington (town), and Stowe (base and top), as VZW realizes that a lot of their customers partake in winter sports recreation, whether for day trips, weekends, or weeklong trips. I have tried to get the flow going for service at the 'Bush/MRV but to no avail yet. Slapping up some antennaes/equipment on the Lincoln Peak tower I wouldn't think would be too hard and is a great extra source of income for the mountain. Plus, I'd have no problem strapping my work equipment to my back, with a board under my feet, while heading up Heaven's Gate to enjoy some great weekday pow pow, say, in Feb or Mar. But until the "island" issue is addressed, we're out of luck, as cell companies prefer to have their sites all connected with each other. As I have stated though, they could hop the mtn at AppGap and get back into the Champlain Valley and make a connection there. Who knows what'll happen.

Thanks for the information! Now I am totally confused. Bottom line - if Verizon takes over Unicel will I be able to say "I hear you now" on my Verizon cell phone while running my Massachusetts based business from the Chair (lift)???

As far as the monopoly issue - its a non-issue. The rates you pay for service w/ Verizon are competitive with all of the other phone companies (unicel included) I really don't see what the big deal is here.

[Lostone]

1) As far as monopolies are concerned, when the deal is made, the rates may be comparable. But when you are the only game in town, you don't have to maintain the rates to be comparable. This can be felt in things like roaming charges.

Not saying it is an issue in this case, but history shows it to have happened many times.

B) IMNATHO despite everyone saying that the cell phone is necessary for emergencies and when they need to be in touch, most calls are pure crap, and do little but disturb those around the caller. I rode up with three people last week. In the course of a ride up Bravo, one of them made 4 different cell phone calls.

No kittens were saved by the use of that phone.

III) Sugarboarder... I'm dialing your number right now.

[random_ski_guy]

1) As far as monopolies are concerned, when the deal is made, the rates may be comparable. But when you are the only game in town, you don't have to maintain the rates to be comparable. This can be felt in things like roaming charges.

Not saying it is an issue in this case, but history shows it to have happened many times.

I would agree you will see a less competitive mobile phone market with the Unicell take over for VT and other northern NE areas served by Unicell. However, is this really a surprise? When you severely limit the installation of towers, you create monopoly opportunities.

I know Lostone, who needs these stinking phones anyway.... well I do, but...

[Lostone]

However, is this really a surprise? When you severely limit the installation of towers, you create monopoly opportunities.

The point is that this monopoly is being created the old fashioned way... buying the competition. Has nothing to do with limiting towers.

As for my statement about most of the calls being crap, do the test. Every time you use your cell phone, write down who you called and why. See if you really needed to make that call, then. I maintain most of them are... crap.

In fact, I'll bet that if you had to write down that info about all calls, you wouldn't make more than half of them.

[djd66]

However, is this really a surprise? When you severely limit the installation of towers, you create monopoly opportunities.

The point is that this monopoly is being created the old fashioned way... buying the competition. Has nothing to do with limiting towers.

As for my statement about most of the calls being crap, do the test. Every time you use your cell phone, write down who you called and why. See if you really needed to make that call, then. I maintain most of them are... crap.

In fact, I'll bet that if you had to write down that info about all calls, you wouldn't make more than half of them.

In terms of there being a monopoly - isn't that what we have in the valley right now. There is only 1 company that owns the towers (Unicel). That is the reason Verizon bought Unicel - for the towers. Unicel does not own nearly as many towers as Verizon (nationwide). That being said if you are currently a Unicel customer and you become a Verizon customer w/ the merger - I would be willing to bet that your roaming costs nationwide would be less.

As far as the BS phone calls - I don't know about you or anyone else but 70% of the calls I take are business related. May sound like BS to someone else, but that is me running my business.

Bottom line, this is the way our society has gone - we are all reachable anytime anywhere. It is good and bad. Good because it means I can come up and get a day of skiing in while still "running" my business. Bad because it means I am always reachable and can never get away.

I am the kind of cell phone person that will leave a building or restaraunt to talk if a call should come. I don't take calls on the chair if i am with a person who I do not know. I try not to offend when my phone rings. If you are offended, sorry.

[chuck]

Since I have caller ID, voice mail, it all goes to voice mail. then when I am not in a public place, i will listen and return calls, in private. No one cares what i want for dinner, nor should I subject anyone to my personal life. I come to sugarbush for the tranquility and peace. Yet having daughters who drive, it's good to have when someone conks out the car or gets stuck. As my daughters say, when all else fails, call dad and i feel better knowing that I may not be able to get to them, but can contact someone who can.

[random_ski_guy]

[quote="Lostone"]

However, is this really a surprise? When you severely limit the installation of towers, you create monopoly opportunities.

Bottomline, a single acquisition of a mobile phone company in much of the US would not cause a monopoly because those communities decided it would be best to have towers and towers allow competition. Most communities resist towers, but they get built in the end after taking some consideration from the local populance. To allow just a few or none at all is really just a self inflicted disservice. Higher costs for service and limited services.

[ski_resort_observer]

B) IMNATHO despite everyone saying that the cell phone is necessary for emergencies and when they need to be in touch, most calls are pure crap, and do little but disturb those around the caller. I rode up with three people last week. In the course of a ride up Bravo, one of them made 4 different cell phone calls.

No kittens were saved by the use of that phone.

Wow...what got the bee in your bonnet...I like it! Yeah!

[random_ski_guy]

As for my statement about most of the calls being crap, do the test. Every time you use your cell phone, write down who you called and why. See if you really needed to make that call, then. I maintain most of them are... crap.

In fact, I'll bet that if you had to write down that info about all calls, you wouldn't make more than half of them.

Well, if you were with me you would see (or hear) that almost all of my calls are business related and very brief. Personally I don't like to talk much on the phone. I prefer either email or face to face. When I ski, I bring my phone for business emergencies and to monitor email. Without such technology I would have to ski even less (yikes). Its difficult to find a good income wrapped into a strict 9-5 job. They really don't exist, they have been moved offshore. Even when on vacation I need to be connected. I need to monitor.

As for ugly cell phone etiquette, I don't care for those people either. When at the mtn I make an effort to be quiet, discreet and try to let others experience the outdoors without spotting a cell phone user. If I use my phone I try to hide unless I'm in the base lodge. Personally I would never take a call on a chair when riding with strangers, it can wait until I get to the top. That said, I don't think the solution is to limit cell phone usage by resisting new towers. The problem is not the phones, its the people using them. In time I have faith that the obtrusive cell phone user will go the way of neon paints and zinc oxide for the nose. Maybe I'm too much of an optimist.

Aside from serving a purpose for emergencies, cell phones are damn efficient and fun. I get more out of my day with the phone. We need to work on the rude people and then all will be fine (better coverage would be good too).

[ski_resort_observer]

Aside from serving a purpose for emergencies, cell phones are damn efficient and fun. I get more out of my day with the phone. We need to work on the rude people and then all will be fine (better coverage would be good too).

Unfortunately with the poliferation of cell phones I think it will get alot worse before it gets better. Last time I was in Boston, Harvard Square, to be exact we came across a young couple who appeared down and out as they were sitting on a stoop with their caps held out for donations, as I was putting in a dollar the guy got a call on his cell phone...

In the church in the little town on the Maine coast I have a place they recently put a cell phone tower(?) in the steeple. I think that's a win, win as the church gets $1800 a month for the space used and people get better coverage. Can't we do more things like that?

I have no doubts that as mentioned the fake tree cell towers are improving but every time I am driving south on I89 and you go by that power plant(?) before the New London exit on the left there is one of those fake tree cell towers and it looks rediculous.

I don't have a cell phone, my wife and 3 kids do, the cell towers don't really bother me, fake tree or otherwise, neither do wind turbines. Actually I think wind turbines look cool. Bottom line, you have to adapt to get along in this ever changing world.....living on a quiet dirt road in Vermont does help tho

[shadyjay]

The #1 concern we get regarding pine tree-looking towers is that people think of such examples as those in NH, MA, CT, etc and freak out. Those towers aren't designed by far to fit in with the landscape. The branches begin about 50' above the treeline so they look god aweful hideous. NH doesn't have any Act250 like VT does. While that extends the process of progress in VT, it does help to make sure we don't look like NH. NH gets even, however, with all of the towers along 91 south of WRJ that are on NH mountaintops, clearly viewed in VT. Bummer fur sure.

When I go down to visit family in CT, one of things that gets me right off the bat is the blatent display of advertising and cell towers, some cell towers now have a second right next to each other. In some towns in NW CT, we did put antennaes in church steeples. Also I've been noticing more electronic billboards down south, rather than the old kind.

We have done some church steeples up here in VT, and have also done antennaes on silos, sometimes with an extension of the silo - all a definite win-win, and an extra source of $$ for the farmer, espec during bad seasons. And regarding new pine tree monpole installations, believe me, we have extensive regulations we must follow to make sure they blend in as best as can be, such as balloon tests, tree heights, etc. Its a lot of work, but its interesting, and a good workout, espec with snow on the ground.

[ski_resort_observer]

Thanks for the info...very interesting.

[Strat]

Just a silly spelling sidenote:
The plural of antenna is "antennae" or "antennas." One is the original Latin plural, the other is the Anglicized form.
Thanks for reading

[freeheel_skier]

Just a silly spelling sidenote:
The plural of antenna is "antennae" or "antennas." One is the original Latin plural, the other is the Anglicized form.
Thanks for reading