The Long Island coastal town of Southampton Village, NY has chosen Diamond Communications to help it address its communications needs. As a vacation destination, both the aesthetics of a cell tower and the need for reliable digital service to accommodate the summer crowds persuaded the town to accept the bid offered by Diamond. As Newsday reports, the plan calls for a flagpole design that can be painted to blend in with the bluish-gray sky. The village board studied the town’s coverage needs and weaknesses, noting that their primary concern was the ability to handle emergency response calls.
“It’s very difficult to get new towers built,” stated Mayor William Manger. He explained that the bid proposal put the cost of installing the wireless equipment on Diamond. Once the tower is in place, he said that the village then can “lure” cell carriers to take advantage of the existing infrastructure, according to Newsday. Revenue generated from the carriers will be split between Southampton Village and Diamond Communications, as outlined in the bid proposal.
Second assistant chief of the Southampton Fire Department, Rick Fowler, applauded the decision to invest in better communications for first responders. He added that normally spotty service becomes an even bigger challenge in the summer months. “It just doesn’t really matter where you go,” he said, “You just can’t seem to make a call.”
Fowler participated in the committee that helped select Diamond. His positive response was echoed by police officer Brian Lamonica, who pointed out that during peak tourist season, it is not uncommon for dispatchers to have trouble reaching and maintaining calls with the patrol cars.
Although the new cell tower equipment will not be able to reach the beach this summer, Manger said that he expects it to be in place by early 2025, Newsday reports. Village Administrator Anthony Carter, who also served on the selection committee commented that the flagpole design was the best choice for the “aesthetics of the tower” which he said were “as important as its capability,” making the new call tower both practical and unobtrusive.
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