VZ Cell reception at Sugarbush

[outofshape]

Thank you!

[shadyjay]

The news made the headlines on FOX44, the Burlington VT Fox affiliate last week. Prior to this past November, I was in charge of surveying the cell phone sites throughout Vermont. Sugarbush has been on our list for a while but they were still working on finding a permanent site. Since I'm no longer with that company, I most likely will not be surveying the new site when it goes in on the mountain but I did do sites at Bromley, Magic, Stratton, Okemo, Ascutney, Stowe, and Mt Snow, driving my work truck up the mountain access roads. It was interesting and some great views during the summer, but cold working in the winter.

No complaints now with my new job
And even better now that my phone works - since I just signed a new 2-yr contract.

[flakeydog]

So do we know if this is a real effort by Verizon to cover the Mad River Valley or is it just on the mountain? I could never get an answer out of them on future plans so I switched.

I would switch back to verizon but no coverage in the valley is a total deal-breaker for me. Cell-one/Unicel (soon to be at&t I guess) is the only choice down here. It always seemed to be such a gaping hole in coverege that they never addressed.

[shadyjay]

Verizon prefers to have its sites connected in a "string", such as the Rt 7 corridor, I-89, I-91, etc... vs "island" sites. Given the fact that the Bush sits on the edge of civilization... bordering Granville Gulf to the south, they are more than likely aiming to get the ski areas first. However, a site on the top of Lincoln Peak or Mt Ellen may be able to cover the Valley. The other option for them would be to come down 100/100B from the Moretown site (which is actually more Middlesex than Moretown), serve the Valley and the Bush, then head over AppGap towards Bristol and connect back in with the Rt 7 network.

In a related topic, VZW coverage has been filled in on I-91 in southern Vermont... the former dead zone between the MA/VT line and Brattleboro is gone. We did a dozen sites on 91 between there and White River Jct in the past 2 years. Nice to see the fruits of our labor payed off with continuous coverage. Benefits not just visitors, but residents of VT as well.

[John Walden]

So......is it safe to say that Verizon is here to stay????????? I was shocked last weekend to get service on the mountain for the first time. I got my wife a cell phone with Sprint just to use at Sugarbush. I have Verizon .

[flakeydog]

Sounds like VZ is throwing a bone to their existing customers (giving some service in a total dead zone) but probably not enough to convert unicel/att customers. This is great news for verizon customers that assume their phones work here (like in the comercials) but come to find out they do not.

Any Verizon users, can you comment on where you are getting service and where it ends? Sounds like at South but not North, etc...

[chuck]

I get service from West Hill road, when the road goes to dirt

[skibum1321]

There is definitely no service on or near Waitsfield Village or on Bragg Hill Rd.

If Verizon doesn't actually expand to cover the Valley then I still consider this pretty worthless. Most phone calls I make on the weekend are at night after I've left the mtn. Maybe I'm abnormal in that regard, but I somehow doubt it.

[Hawk]

I get 5 bars at my condo and on the hill. That's all that matters to me.... I was about to switch service and now I will be cancelling my land line at the condo. They just saved a customer and took one away from another compeditor.

[Yard Sale]

AT&T works well just about all over the valley, 89 etc.

[teleo]

5 bars at my condo in sugarbush village, LP village and the hill. Drops out about 3/4 of the way down the access road. Similar to Hawk, was thinking about switching, but now won't.

[win]

We are going to work with them on more permanent locations, so I am hoping that service will cover both base areas and much of the Valley before the end of the year.

[rfm]

Just wanted to say thanks Win, having the VZ in the area is a great help. Over the years I've run into a few people in the parking lot outside of my Condo wandering about looking for a cell signal. It a big convenience for both the owners and renters

[Lostone]

Watched someone skiing down Hot Shot on Saturday, while he was talking on the phone. I'm sure it was so verrrry important.

[GolfingOwl]

From the view of a vacationer, this is just smart business. One of my hangups (pun intended) with SB was the lack of Verizon coverage. Whether it's being able to communicate with my wife on the mountain or the unfortunate times I need to be contacted for business (I loathe taking business calls on vacation) or a family emergency (the ski school asks for your cell number, for instance) being shut out of coverage for a week while on vacation can be a problem. Don't know if people would go so far as to not vacation at SB if there is not coverage, but it can be an issue. If you don't believe me, scan the Alpine Zone message boards sometime and you'll see threads regarding inquiries about coverage of carrier X at Mountain Y - obviously people care.