New cell towers hard to spot in Orange County; residents report significant improvement in reception
About 20 residents and business owners told News 12 they have not noticed the towers, though they have noticed a significant improvement in their cellphone service in the last few weeks.
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You might have noticed a sudden improvement in your cellphone reception along Route 17 in Orange County - no matter who your provider is.
Few people have noticed the two new cellular towers in Monroe, one just off Route 17 and another in the Walton Park neighborhood.
The towers went live earlier this month.
Two years ago, during the planning stage of the project, representatives from Verizon promised town officials and the community they would make sure the 100-foot towers would blend in with the scenic surroundings.
The cell tower along Quaker Hill Road might be difficult to spot for some.
The tower is painted brown and has branch-like extensions around the top.
About 20 residents and business owners told News 12 they have not noticed the towers, though they have noticed a significant improvement in their cell phone service in the last few weeks.
Monroe resident Janet Daby said her calls are not dropping anymore, not even when she is in transit.
She said that improvement is especially important in the winter.
"The storm, the emergencies, the snow," she said. "I have to come to the Shoprite. I have to come to the post office. I have to go everywhere. It every important."
Vito Scalia, owner of The Best of Little Italy in Monroe, said the cell service improvement is big for his restaurant. His staff has a lot of business to handle at all hours.
"You have to always keep in touch," Scalia said. "You never know. It might be an order. It might be a customer or whatever."
Sen. James Skoufis helped broker the deals for the new towers.
He said he is also working with Verizon to improve coverage on Route 6 east of the Thruway and in western Orange County.
"Enhanced connectivity is vital to our communities," Skoufis wrote in a press release. "It leads to increased productivity and enhanced quality of life for residents, and - most importantly - can mean the difference between life and death in emergency situations.
