Verizon Wireless Brings in Mobile Cell Tower for Service
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Verizon Wireless customers should be back online — thanks to the company's COW.
The mobile "Cell on Wheels" tower was brought in Sunday afternoon after two radio towers hosting antenna for a number of wireless carriers were knocked down by high winds overnight Saturday.
Verizon first increased the capacity of neighboring cell sites, although Verizon customers continued to run into decreased or nonexistent service depending on where they were in North County. Second, the temporary cell tower was brought in and located at north of the former Wigwam Gift Shop, at the top of the Hairpin Turn.
"Overnight Sunday into Monday, our network engineers built coaxial cable lines and antennas, and prepared the site for activation while electrical power was being made available to the COW," said company spokesman Michael Murphy,
The COW was connected on Monday to fiberoptic cables run from the permanent site, and the tower mast raised 100 feet. The tower was powered and tested.
The COW was made fully operational on Tuesday at 12:30 a.m.
"It is currently serving Verizon Wireless customers in the North Adams area with voice, 3G, and 4G LTE service," Murphy said.
"We've remained in close contact with MEMA, the mayor of North Adams, and other first responders, and are appreciative of their assistance and communication. Like the other tenants on the damaged communications tower, we eagerly await the landlord's plans to rebuild a new permanent tower."
Tags: cell tower, radio, Verizon,
