AT&T joins Ponus Ridge cell tower plan in New Canaan
NEW CANAAN — First Selectman Kevin Moynihan has been preaching about upgrading the town’s cellular capabilities for years.
Boosting service in town was among the priorities he outlined in his campaign when he was first elected in 2017.
In February, Moynihan announced a deal had been reached to bring a new 110-foot cell tower in the 1800 block of Ponus Ridge Road in the northwest corner of town.
Last week, the first selectman said the first cellular carrier signed on to be a part of the project — AT&T Wireless.
Along with Homeland Towers LLC, which is contracted to build the tower, AT&T was a company that Moynihan had been in contact with for roughly a year.
“They initially didn't plan to come on (to the project) this early. In January, they said they were still waiting. I didn’t expect them to join until next year,” Moynihan said, explaining that the wireless company allocates a certain amount of money each year for cell tower projects. “At one point, I thought, ‘OK, it is going to go without a carrier. It will be a cell tower for public safety.’ ”
Moynihan said there has been a significant need for public safety communications in the northwest section of New Canaan for years. It’s been such a critical issue that Moynihan added a caveat to the deal.
“Homeland Towers usually won’t sign on for (a cell tower project) until a carrier comes on,” he explained. Moynihan said he signed a contract stating the town would agree to pay $3,500 a month for three years for each month there was not a carrier.
After securing the deal with AT&T, the town now needs to gain the Connecticut Siting Council’s approval, which Moynihan estimates could take up to nine months.
“Carriers and emergency first responders have long recognized the need for reliable service in this area of New Canaan and Stamford,” said Ray Vergati, of Homeland Towers. “We look forward to the opportunity to work with AT&T and the town of New Canaan on a project of such importance to the community.”
Moynihan said the tower will have a discreet appearance.
“A lot of people still hate the look of cell towers,” he said. “With a town as big as ours, we need proper cell towers.”
He said due to the sloping nature of the landscape in the area, the tower will not be easily visible from afar. He also said the type of cell tower that Homeland Towers will build for the town isn’t what many may be picturing in their minds.
“Our residents don’t want tall towers and they don’t want branching,” Moynihan said. “These cell towers have the antennas on the inside of the pole, rather than all of the branching you would see.”
After years of research, Moynihan said he’s learned that taller towers with branching usually provide better and stronger frequencies across the town. He said the signal is usually weaker if the antenna is lower on the tower.
AT&T will be at the very top of the tower, which is ideal for the carrier’s users in town.
Moynihan said he also hopes to have Verizon, and possibly T-Mobile, involved with the Ponus Ridge cell tower.
The owner of the land where the cell tower will be built “stepped forward philanthropically,” Moynihan said. The house located on the property is being rented, the first selectman said.
Moynihan’s longtime project has been about bringing better cell service and public safety reassurance to all corners of his town. He feels this project is another big step in addressing those concerns.
“These days, 70 percent of 911 calls are made from cellphones,” Moynihan said. “We need 21st century cell service.”