Saratoga County, Verizon announce Great Sacandaga Lake service deal
EDINBURG, N.Y. » Saratoga County announced it has reached an agreement with Verizon Wireless to bring wireless communication services to four communities in Adirondack Park near the Great Sacandaga Lake.
The 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.
“I am proud to announce the agreement between Verizon Wireless and the County of Saratoga to bring Verizon cellular and Internet access to the communities of Edinburg, Day, Hadley, and Providence,” Preston Allen, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman said.
In the past year, Verizon worked with the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services to develop new wireless facilities in northern Saratoga County targeting rural communities, roads, and recreational areas along portions of Great Sacandaga Lake and Sacandaga River.
County Emergency Services Commissioner Carl Zeilman said VerizonWireless has co-located communications equipment and an antenna on existing county- owned communication monopoles and towers in the towns of Providence, Edinburg, and Day. Construction to co-locate equipment on the county-owned monopole site in the Town of Luzerne inWarren County is set to begin shortly.
The 4G LTE Verizon wireless voice and data services, which are either newand significantly improved, will be expanded into these areas including several miles along County Route 4 (North Shore Rd) and County Route 7 (South Shore Rd), and into the Hamlets of Edinburg, Batchellerville, West Day, Day Center, Lake View, and Hadley.
“The public and our emergency services rely on cellular service for day-to- day communications and Internet access,” Zeilman remarked. “The expansion of cellular service into these previously unserved areas of the County will save lives by enhancing the ability of the public to access 9-1-1, improving the ability of our Communications Center to pinpoint the location of emergencies and delivering seamless communications capabilities to our law enforcement, fire, and EMS responders.”
“Bringing cellular services to the northern part of the county is a tremendous benefit to public safety and first responders,” Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo stated. “The expanded cellular coverage area will maximize response by first responders and provide residents and visitors the ability to dial 9-1-1 from a wireless device in areas where it was once non-existent.
“I want to commend the Office of Emergency Services for their ongoing efforts and making this day a reality.”
The site in the Town of Providence, where Verizon Wireless co-located on the county’s 225foot self-supporting tower, was the first to go live on June 1, 2020.
“We already have seen an improvement in cellular connectivity in the immediate area,” SandraWinney, Town of Providence Supervisor said.
“I want to thank the County Office of Emergency Services, the Adirondack Park Agency, and VerizonWireless for working so diligently over the past year to bring much needed cellular service to our community,” Jean Raymond, Town of Edinburg Supervisor commented.
“This will dramatically improve wireless coverage in the area for residents, first responders, and visitors,” Raymond noted.
Per the agreement, Verizon Wireless will lease space on each communications tower at the rate of $26,400per year, generating $105,600 in annual revenue for Saratoga County. The initial lease term at each site is five years and automatically renews for up to eight additional five-year terms.
Saratoga County constructed its communication monopoles in Edinburg, Day, and Luzerne in the early 2000s with the primary purpose of serving its emergency radio communication needs.
“Since assuming the role as the commissioner of Emergency Services, one of our primary focuses has been working to leverage our existing communications infrastructure to bring much needed cellular service to the Sacandaga Lake area. I am proud to say, we turned this vision into a reality,” Zeilman added.
“The public and our emergency services rely on cellular service for day-to-day communications and Internet access. The expansion of cellular service into these previously unserved areas of the County will save lives by enhancing the ability of thepublic toaccess 9-1-1, improving the ability of our Communications Center to pinpoint the location of emergencies and delivering seamless communications capabilities to our lawenforcement, fire, and EMS responders.” — Saratoga County Emergency Services Commissioner Carl Zeilman