(Monroe County, Pennsylvania) – The Monroe County Dead Cell Zone Project is very pleased to report AT&T has increased its wireless connectivity in both Monroe and Northampton County. The Project is a group of dedicated citizens as well as elected and appointed officials focused on getting Monroe County the best broadband and cell-service at the most affordable pricing. Since taking office in January, new Monroe County Commissioner Chairman, Sharon Laverdure has made broadband and cell service a top priority.
The new AT&T site sits high above Wind Gap along Route 33 and will enhance coverage north toward Saylorsburg and south toward Ackermanville. These enhancements also bring Band 14 spectrum to the area. Band 14 is nationwide, high-quality spectrum set aside by the government specifically for FirstNet. It provides public safety with a dedicated lane of connectivity when needed. When not in use by FirstNet subscribers, AT&T customers can enjoy Band 14’s added coverage and capacity.
FirstNet is built with AT&T in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority. It’s designed to help first responders in Pennsylvania and across the country connect to the critical information they need – when they need it – so they can keep themselves and the communities they serve safer.
“We want our customers to have a great experience. Thanks to this investment, they’ll be able to experience better network connectivity while streaming videos, sharing on social media or texting family and friends,” said David Kerr, president, AT&T Pennsylvania. “We’re working to provide better mobile broadband coverage for communities and first responders in Monroe County and across Pennsylvania, and we’re investing in our wireless network to accomplish that.”
From 2016 to 2018, AT&T has invested more than $775 million in its Pennsylvania wireless and wired networks. These investments boost reliability, coverage, speed and overall performance for residents and businesses. In 2020, AT&T will invest more than $20 Billion in the US.
The Project was pleased to host Guest Speaker, Matthew M. Bembenick, Executive Director of the Office of Enterprise Wireless Management, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Matthew provided an excellent overview of Commonwealth assets including towers, rights-of-way and property locations as well as descriptions of the seven (7) towers in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Matthew told the group his office is looking forward to working together to improve communications in Monroe County.
Project leader Kelly Lewis thanked Chuck Leonard for his foresight in supporting multiple communications projects over the past 15-years that have better-positioned Monroe County and former County Commissioner Janet Weidensaul for her long-standing leadership on Monroe2020, Monroe2030 and dozens of critical infrastructure projects. Chuck Leonard is the Executive Director of the Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation. Calling Monroe County one of the most challenging counties for broadband and cell services, Lewis also thanked Blue Ridge Cable for their extensive investment and service across Monroe County.
Lewis asked municipalities to quickly identify 6 to 8 preferred locations for cell sites or cell-site optimizations. Prior projects have created strong recurring revenue for fire and ambulance companies, non-profits, resorts, community associations, school districts and municipalities, as well as private property owners. Lewis thanked Bob Heeter of Saylorsburg for offering his property as a cell location. Of course, sites must meet zoning and tower regulations!
In creating an Monroe Asset List of available cell locations, the Project is asking fire and ambulance companies, municipalities, nonprofits and private property owners to send site locations to Kelly@LewisStrategic.com.
Bushkill Ambulance Company and Lake Manzanedo Property Owners Association are offering site locations in Wooddale, Middle Smithfield Township ideally situated to support a cell tower in a strategic location with poor to zero cell service that could serve nearly a thousand homes.
With 90% of emergency calls generated from cell phones, dead cell zones represent a public safety risk to citizens, families and first responders.
Statement: “Monroe County has dead cell zone areas that are a risk to every citizens and family as well as our hard-working First-Responders. Through the survey, we identified dozens of dead cell zones. Let’s keep working together to identify potential cell locations that fix Monroe dead cell zones. The Project is available to meet or speak with municipal leaders to ask them to identify 6-8 preferred locations that can also generate reoccurring revenue for first responders, municipalities, non-profits, resorts, community associations and private property owners. Let’s fix this now!”
Get Involved:
The next meetings of the Monroe County Dead Cell Zone Project will be 09:00 am on March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4, July 2, 2020, at the Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors, 2214 W Main St, Stroudsburg, PA 18360, USA. Register at Eventbrite.com or Info@LewisStrategic.com
You are welcome to call Kelly Lewis anytime, 24/7 at your convenience to discuss how we can make this happen. Kelly Lewis 570.510.7745,Kelly@LewisStrategic.com
Thank you to Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors for hosting the monthly meetings, and all supporting organizations advancing this much-needed Project. We also thank our state delegation for supporting the need for broadband and cell service improvements.