Verizon says Bethlehem service glitches are fixed

BETHLEHEM — Cellphone service provider Verizon says the on-andoff disruptions customers experienced this past week with service around the area of Bethlehem Central High School resulted from a software glitch and have been solved.

But they said heavy usage in that area means they really need an additional tower nearby.

“Service in the Bethlehem area was and has remained fully restored after our teams responded to a software error impacting some customers there,” company spokesman Chris Serico said in an email on Friday.

“Our customers are doing more things with their mobile devices in more places, including in the Bethlehem area. In order to handle increased demand, our engineers have determined that an additional cell site is required in the area. To ensure proper placement, we’ve been actively engaged in conversations with school and other local officials to agree on a site. However, we have no progress to share at this time,” he added.

Families with kids at the school were notified of the glitches in an email on Wednesday from Erin Cheevers, Bethlehem Central School District’s chief technology officer.

“In recent days, the Bethlehem Central School District has been receiving reports from students, staff and community members of inconsistent cellphone service in and around the school district. Most of these reports have been from Verizon customers located at or near the high school and Eagle Elementary School in Delmar,” she said in an email.

“The inconsistent service being experienced by certain cellphone users since last week is a cellphone carrier issue. The service disruptions are not related to the district’s network, hardware or software. The district’s Technology Department has no control over cellphone networks, signals or carrier coverage. The department is unable to troubleshoot or address these issues internally.”