Sacandaga-area wireless improves

Saratoga County officials said Friday that expansion of Verizon Wireless services will provide access to wireless phone and high-speed data services to Verizon customers including residents, visitors and first responders in four towns surrounding the Great Sacandaga Lake.

Verizon has been working with the county Office of Emergency Services to develop new wireless facilities in northern Saratoga County targeting rural communities, roads and recreational areas along portions of the lake and the Sacandaga River, according to a statement.

County Emergency Services Commissioner Carl Zeilman said Verizon Wireless has co-located communications equipment and an antenna on existing county-owned communication monopoles and towers in Providence, Edinburg and Day. Construction to co-locate equipment on the countyowned monopole site in the town of Luzerne in Warren County is set to begin shortly, officials said.

The new or improved 4G LTE Verizon wireless voice and data services will be expanded into these areas including several miles along North Shore and South Shore roads and into the hamlets of Edinburg, Batchellerville, West Day, Day Center, Lake View and Hadley, according to the statement.

The site in Providence, where Verizon Wireless co-located on the county’s 225-foot self-supporting tower, was the first to go live June 1. Improved connectivity in the immediate area is noticeable, said Town Supervisor Sandra Winney said.

Verizon Wireless will lease space on each communications tower for $26,400 a year, generating $105,600 in annual revenue for the county.