New cell sites and improvements to existing third-generation mobile broadband network are under way in Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties, AT&T said last week.
“They”™re fast-growing areas in the New York metro market,” said Tom DeVito, vice president and general manager, AT&T Mobility, New York and New Jersey. “It”™s a good demographic; there are lots of businesses ”¦ we had good service there, but wanted great service.”
A combination of factors ”“ drive test results, independent drive tests and performance statistics ”“ determined network expansion, according to the company.
“As a company and market area, we”™re committed to network and product,” DeVito said. “We”™re constantly looking across the board, how our customers experience our network and always looking to improve that performance.”
“It”™s part of our ongoing commitment to quality service,” concurred Mike Maus, executive director of network services for New York and New Jersey, saying AT&T “spent $975 million on network in the Northeast from 2006 to 2008.”
“The health and stability of AT&T as a whole allows us to fund these capital expansions; not many can do that in this economic time,” Maus said.
Though Maus said a precise date of completion of the expansions is unknown, “the overall program is under way.”
New cell sites are planned along: the Taconic State Parkway and Route 6 in Putnam; the Palisades Parkway in the Stony Point area of Rockland; Routes 9W and 304 in Rockland; and the Sprain Brook and Saw Mill River Parkways and Routes 684, 9, 100 and I-87, all in Westchester.
On the retail end, Ellen Webner, spokeswoman, said an AT&T Mobility store at 1404 Union Ave. in Newburgh is moving to Newburgh Towne Center at 1433 Route 300.
“The new store will be 5,000 square feet and will have a device support center within the full-service location,” Webner said. The Newburgh Towne Center location is expected to be open to the public “later in the second quarter.”
