Alton cell tower
 

Can anyone tell me if the cell tower in Alton has been put up. If so, how is the reception for Verizon. If not, any idea when it will be.

Thanks

No workie as yet and I do not believe they have even started construction on the tower.:)

not up yet.
 

I know a lady who lives next door to its location. area has been cleared and as of a few weeks ago, construction has not started on the small building that will be there.

Heard that it should be this spring...spring is here... Maybe April or May.

Most of the time the towers will provide service for all carriers. So it should help everyone.

Does this mean 4G may be coming?
 

It would sure be nice to be able to stream over the cell phone. As it is now my cell speed when in the lakes isn't any faster than my DSL which on a good day is less than 500k

Please update us if you hear more. I'd really appreciate it!
Thanks, GH

Funny you should mention it.
 

I saw the abutter last night, and because of weight limit road posting on the dirt roads leading in, construction is at a standstill. Once the roads firm up, there is no longer 6 in of mud on the road, and the load limit is lifted, construction is set to resume.

Come on warm dry weather...:)

If the contractor goes to the road agent and he is in a good mood (RA) he can give dispensation to the 6 ton road limit and in this case I am sure he would, as it is more tax revenue for the town just as soon as it gets completed...:)

Property is assessed for its value as of April 1st year to year. So it does not matter tax wise if the work is done next week or 6 months from now and even when completed a cell tower is not a big deal. That aside the tax revenue would not be a consideration for the road agent in any decision to wave the load limit.

We took a ride by last week and noticed that they had some more logs stacked and ready to be hauled out. Also saw what appeared to be conduit coming out of the ground. I'm guessing the conduit was installed in the area where either the building or a generator will be. Sure hope the tower improves service out by the Alton/Gilford line on Rte 11

Not likely
 

Per my friend, there is literally several inches of mud to drive through...heavy equipment would ruin the road...

Patience is the word here...once they get in there, the work is supposed to go very quickly,

Where are they putting this tower?

From what I remember it will be off of Silver Lake Trail which comes off Rte. 28. That places it above Dan Kelley Rd which is off East Side Drive. You can see the location on Google maps

Actually ....
 

it is off Bowman Rd, and Jude Hill. It is above rte 28A (East Side Dr.) between Leigh Dr and Cathy Ln, almost directly above The Cascades.

Tower Legal Costs
 

Since the Town of Alton has spent over $ 100,000 on legal fees to fight the tower perhaps they should have the privilege of cutting the ribbon once it opens?

Maybe Mr. & Mrs. Slade would like to join the Town of Alton in having the privilege of cutting the ribbon once it is finished.

Can you imagine how the Slade's are going to feel once the Tower is up and they have to look at it to remind them of the 2-3 year battle (maybe more) they had with Industrial Communications and Electronics, Inc.
According to the Slade's the Tower will interfere with their panoramic view of Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding mountains.

Anyone know if they have started since the mud cleared?

update
 

I took a ride over to Jude Hill rd. the other day to check out the progress of the tower, first of all those residents on that road are undergoing a major disruption from their little peaceful dead end street in the woods.
By the looks of the crushed stone mixed in with the dirt, the road must have been at one time a huge mudhole.
I drove in as far as I could without getting in the way of the construction to the access road, still being worked on.
It seems the land has been cleared and staked out, and possibly footing excavations underway. But the access road is still in the impassable stages for regular work or construction vehicles in my opinion.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...513_103415.jpg

New info in the May 30th Baysider
 

Article about the planning board meeting had quick update on the tower. They hope to be operational by the end of the summer.

Best info I can pass on at this time.

Anything new on the cell tower?

Nothing new...
 

Just what is in the previous post to you...late summer...I am guessing August or Sept...late summer to me...I want to see it so bad too.

Thanks. Was hoping it would be done when we get there in three weeks.

I hear you...
 

I was up at the dump...er landfill...er transfer station..er....well, that place you take the trash, and tried to call my wife to say I was on my way home. Signal, drove 50 yards, call dropped, no signal. Got one bar again, called..drove a little bit...call dropped, no signal...put the phone down, and when I got home, said sorry it took so long to go to the dump er...etc...tried to call couldn't...The new tower should help right there.

It will be a boon at my house across the bay...it looks like it will just beam down the hill and across the bay into my back yard.

Maybe it will get done in two weeks. :rolleye2:

We are just down from the dump, er, recycling center, on Echo Point. Only signal is about ten feet into the water.

Progress is evidently being made
 

On our way down the bay yesterday, and noticed the vertical tower is up.
The second picture is without cropping, to show how it looks from the bay. Location is just inside Echo Point, almost over "The Cascades", on the west side of the bay.

Does anyone have information on which wireless companies will be leasing space on the tower? AT&T and Verizon at minimum, I hope...

I don't know but it's lovely. When it goes live I think I'll have a little party. :)

Alton tower
 

at&t will be the first cell carrier on the new alton tower, picture of first power meter at site. No info on when turn up will be not any antenna's on the tower yet. Will keep you updated as any info comes my way

Funny you should mention that...
 

As mentioned earlier, the tower is up, no antenna arrays up yet.

I spoke with a Planning Board member today, who told me that best recollection is that it will be ATT, Verizon, Sprint, and TMobile on the tower. Last date for being in operation given was mid-September.

I finally saw the tower today, coming around the scenic view headed towards Alton. I sure hope Verizon is part of this tower and it eliminates the "dropped call, dead zone" from sandy point to Jesus valley road..

Arrays are going up
 

There are a couple of arrays on the tower. Hopefully it won't be long now

For the last several weeks they have been power trucks along rt 28 and down bowman rd. running wires and for the last week or so they have been working on grading and widening bowman rd. I hope solves those dead spots in services going through hills.

Waiting on Fairpoint
 

We are waiting on Fairpoint to get the telco part of the site running, maybe by the end of the month. :)

Antennas being mounted
 

The week before last I was watching the pole getting it's antennas being mounted while I was driving down Alton mountain. One day there would be one being mounted and 2 days later another. I haven't seen any additional being added this past week. Hopefully it will help us 1/2 way down the other side of the mountain.:)

Why was the other thread closed?

Let the distracted driving begin!

Regarding more phone usage while driving or people looking at the tower, which is had to pick out even after you know where it is.:)

Tower / Tree
 

Noticed I think two weeks ago that they have added "fake" branaches to the tower, so now it looks like a somewhat oversized pine tree. Makes it harder to see, which is a good thing as long as you are not speeding down the hill looking for it. :)

Hard to say. :D When I'm driving, if I see one of these "giant trees", I tend to look at it, thinking to myself "is that a tree?" and might study it for a split second. If I see a tower, I might (or might not) notice it, but otherwise ignore it because it's a tower, and they're everywhere and we're used to seeing them.

It's probably the un-naturalness of the "really big" tree - out of place on the landscape - that naturally draws attention.

Hopefully no one drives around staring at these things!!! ;)

From my viewing point on Alton Mountain it sure doesn't look like any type of foliage (Fake branches) have been added. It looks just like a plain old cell tower to me.:)

RLW from my place on the mountain with binoculars there is definitely foliage added. Check it out. Still has the white transmitter but looks better than I thought it was going to.

It's not clear where McDude's quoted article comes from, or when.

Does anyone know if the tower is active yet or not?

Sorry....I'm usually more conscientious about this!
 

this week's issue of the Baysider.

I gotcha,. I'm not using binoculars just the naked eye. If it has fake branches, they do not make much of a difference as it still looks like a cell tower when driving down the mountain to this ole geezer.:):laugh:

I have to put this note in as I have seen the tower you are talking about. I didn't realize that there are 2 towers over in the same direction. A little to the right there is another tower. I'm guessing that the one you see in the correct tower. Just hope the whole darn thing is up and working very soon and it helps many individuals get better signals.:)

Yes there are two...
 

The one that is skinny and tall has actually been there for longer than we have been talking about the cell tower in Alton.

The cell tower only extends about 20 ft above the tree canopy.

RLW - I must admit I never noticed the second tower to the right. Does anyone know what it is for? Is it on the same ridge line? I will have to check it out this weekend.

Cell tower
 

Look this site to be turned on for at&t tomorrow as long as the weather doesn't get to bad for final inspection.

Alton cell tower
 

Ok after a few more tweak's and a couple of drive around's today the cell site for at&t should be on the air. Not sure what the coverage will be because of all the hills but we will see. Don't yell at me if it isn't perfect I don't design them I just keep them working...........sometimes :):):)

Verizon
 

Any idea when Verizon will be up and running on the new tower?

verizon
 

Not sure the only thing that is there is a concrete pad for there building

Verizon
 

With only a pad I guess it will be awhile even with a pre-fab building.
Thanks Den

No joy here. :( Still no signal at the house. Oh well...back to the mini-tower. Hopefully coverage when out on the roads will have improved.

Don't feel bad.
 

I live on the other side of the bay from the tower and I am not seeing any signal either...same old single bar of coverage.

Me neither, but I'm on the other side of Alton mountain. By what is being inputted about the signal, I'm wondering if it really has been activated:)

Tower signal
 

Is it GSM, CDMA, TDMA or LTE signal? If it broadcast all then you should see a difference. If not it depends on your phone carrier.

Alton tower
 

It is CDMA (3g) only at this time Lte is in the process.

There is no way that thing is up and running.. Service hasn't changed a bit from sandy point on towards West Alton

you are correct
 

you are correct sir, they turned it back down due to RF issues, they will address them on Monday............sorry told you there was some tweak's to do to it. Always tough right before a holiday. We'll try again on Monday:)

3G service tonight from sandy point on! I'm guessing verizon is up and running!!?

And 3G all the way through West Alton! Sweet!!

I had full bars on both AT&T and VZW while duck hunting on the merrymeeting this morning

How did you do? Planning on some duck burritos I hope.:laugh:

Per Den65...
 

In a PM with Den65, he told me that the tower is ATT only right now, and that Verizon hopes to be up by the end of this month. He also informed me that Att and Verizon do not have a roaming agreement in this area.

As I stood at the end of Lakewood, at the intersection of Rte 11, looking at the tower across the bay, I had one bar of 3G on my Verizon Droid.

Coverage at the Merrymeeting is off of Prospect Mt. Tower.

Not trying to cause an argument, and maybe Den65 will jump back in and explain further what is going on with the new Alton Tower.

I will be very happy to see the tower functional with Verizon.

Interesting, maybe my phone was just having a good day and all the stars were aligned... I had 3 bars of 3G at the west Alton marina entrance, that never happens!

Not necessarily...
 

I had dropped my car off in Laconia for some servicing, and so my wife was driving. I thought about your post on the way home, and had just gone past the west end of 11D heading to Alton. I held my phone in my hand, and watched the bars. I too had 3 to 4 bars, which I think may have been from the Roberts Cove Campground tower.

After the scenic views, and getting onto the long straightaway to the east end of 11D, I was down to my standard 1, sometimes, 2 bars of 3G. Went by Rand Hill Rd, past Precious Gardens, and turned onto Lakewood, all with just 1 bar.

I just hope that Den65 was given good info about Verizon. Since this whole debacle about the tower started, through the long overdue agreement, it seemed that everyone was in a rush to get the tower up and running. Since the agreement, and the start of construction, it has been one delay after the next, and the consumer is the one to suffer.

Hopefully, at the start of the new year, we can "clink" our Androids together and toast each other with a text on how great our signal in Alton Bay has finally come to fruition. Or maybe just a good stein of libation! :cheers: :laugh:

at&t Up for real now
 

All the issues have been resolved and the at&t site is on the air now. Verizon is up on prospect mt (if that is where they grow the blueberries) and on overcast days rf signals seem to work better also Verizon is 800 MHz up here which gives them better signal. So some days you may work better than others.

Thanks for the continued updates. Is AT&T on with all protocols, or still just CDMA?

I was not aware that AT&T used Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). I thought that they were wed to GSM which is a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) structure.

Now that you mention this, it makes sense to me. I originally went with AT&T because I was traveling a lot overseas and GSM was more universal than Verizon/CDMA.

I was keying off the earlier statement by Den65 that is was turned on for CDMA only.

Verizon
 

DEN65, you mentioned that Verizon is up on Prospect Mountain. Does that mean they will not be using the new Alton Cell tower and what we got is what we'll get?

I would think verizon would almost have to put sites up on the new tower just to try and "clean up" the area around the bay up to west Alton. Let's hope so with the prices verizon is charging.

Not at all.
 

The new tower is scheduled to have ATT (up already), Verizon, Sprint, and TMobile.

alton tower
 

The only system that is there is 3G which is WCDMA which is wide band CDMA there is no GSM there, we are not installing GSM at any new sites, just UMTS(3G) and LTE (4G).

phone gobble D' gook
 

AT&T GSM PHONE HELP: Copy from their site. UMTS (WCDMA) outperforms any other cellular technology planned for global deployment. AT&T UMTS service provides average speeds of 220-320 Kbps with burst speeds up to 384 Kbps. The international standards body designed UMTS to complement and co-exist with GSM networks.

AT&T signal strength
 

So now that AT&T is hooked up on the Alton tower do AT&T users in this area see a big improvement in signal strength? I have Verizon now and am thinking of making a change to Consumer Cellular which uses the AT&T network. So I am wondering how the service will be. Does anybody use Consumer Cellular and what do you think of it?

If you can see the tower...
 

You show that you are in Alton Bay. If you are on the West side between the end of the bay and say Rte 11D west end, you should have great coverage.

On the east side, should be better than now. It will depend on where you are.

My sister in law has Consumer Cellular. Basic flip phone. Has it only for emergencies. Was out of power one day, called her son to let him know and they talked for about 20 minutes, at 25 cents a minute, I believe. She freaked out when she got her normal $10+ charge that was was $5 or more higher.

I looked at it because we do have Verizon. Wife and I now both have smartphones. Looking at the coverage almost everywhere for Verizon vs ATT, we still were curious about Consumer Cellular. After comparing apples with apples, we decided we were good with Verizon on there Share Plan...Unlimited Talk and Text with a Gig of Data. The closest we came to using a gig was while we were on a trip and away from wireless a lot of the time.

Consumer Cellular looks ok for the casual user...don't think I would recommend it for someone who uses their cell a lot. I also didn't like their choices of smartphones.

Not sure I am helping...Wish you luck.

No improvement with AT&T at our home near Copple Crown/Kings Highway. Marginal, if any improvement when driving around the roads in the area.

I did have a good signal while having breakfast at the Olde Bay Diner last week. Used to be there was no signal there.

So, some improvement, but nowhere near what I had been hoping for or expecting. Still hoping it's because they don't have full power or services enabled yet.

I just bought a Nexus 5 and my wife a Moto X for $350 each and I'm in the process of moving us from Verizon to StraightTalk with AT&T sims. I've been very happy with the reception. We will have two smartphones with unlimited text, talk, and data for $25 less per month than we had one smart phone and one feature phone on Verizon. It's worth looking in to...

verizon
 

Does anyone know if Verizon is up and running on the new cell tower? Driving thru the bay the other day I had better service than I have in the past but not full service which is what I thought I would have so close to the new site.

Verizon: not yet.
 

My daughter and son in law were up on Christmas day and they have ATT. Full bars of 4G, so I know I will have good coverage at my house here just off Alton Bay above Keewaydin, or just outside Sandy Point.

As we speak, no change in my 3G / 1G 1 bar coverage:(. So much for being up by the end of the month...last month:mad:. Come on Verizon, get with it!!!!!

I feel better now that Verizon knows how I feel. They do read this thread, right?:rolleye2::laugh:

It definitely helps in the bay, but I've been somewhat surprised how limited the improvements have been elsewhere. Though I probably shouldn't be. The hills, mountains, and granite have a great impact on the signals so this area will always be challenging.

The Rt 28 stretch from Wolfeboro to Alton has always been marginal, with more lengths without a signal than with. Unfortunately, it is still the same.

MM, who is your carrier?
 

Merrymeeting, who is your carrier?

I don't think the tower is going to help much over toward Merrymeeting Lake. As you say, the hills there will be sheltering you from the tower, but I may be wrong (I hope for your sake.)

Given the fact that Verizon's territory was Belknap Co, not Stafford, they would be more likely to improve the signal over in Belknap. The new tower will fill in the areas that are shielded from the Prospect Mt tower as you go out the bay. Once you get out the bay, you can pick up the Roberts Knoll Campground Tower off of Rte 28. quite well. Still no help like in West Alton. nature of the beast, I guess.

I thought of posting but since I had mentioned it in a few prior posts, didn't bother...AT&T. So any benefit I should be seeing already. :(

You may have and I missed it
 

Sorry, MM, I probably missed it.

I know that my family were psyched about how good the coverage at our house is now, but then again we are across the bay from the tower.

Not sure how much justification ATT can have to get a tower put up in the middle of the Farmington - Middleton - New Durham area. Not the middle of a thriving metropolis, unfortunately.

I thought there was an ATT (formerly Cell One) tower up on the ridge where there is a large farm on Governor's Rd running from Milton to Middleton. I haven't looked for it from rte 11 in quite a while. It would give you a pretty good signal from in the area where Prospect Mt. is blocked as you head into Farmington.

Anyway, sorry that the new tower doesn't help any in New Durham, but perhaps you will be able to really enjoy it when you are over on our side of the ridge ;):).

I agree on the business justification on the Farmington side. Kings Highway has little to no coverage from New Durham, through Middleton/Milton, into Farmington. I expect that since as you say, not a lot of customers to justify it.

But I am surprised there hasn't been much more effort to get Rt 28 better coverage given the traffic it carries.

You are right. Coverage along Rt 11 and on that side of New Durham is fine. It's the hills and ridges around the lake that mess things up. (I get a GREAT signal on my boat in the middle of the lake :). I've even had to go out there to take business calls when the internet link went down)

Updates?
 

Anyone have any new info or updates on the new tower? Or ideas when Verizon might be up and running on it?

Funny you should mention that...
 

I sent a message to another member who is a tech for AT&T, and back in early Dec, he told me that the Verizon tech said they hoped to be up and running at the end of the month. I assumed he (Verizon Tech) was talking about Dec, but obviously, it would be just about any month.:rolleye2:

Reminds me of the story about the family cleaning out a house after the patriarch of the family had passed away. In the center drawer of the desk, the son found a ticket for a pair of shoes left at the shoe shop for being re-heeled. On a whim, the son took the ticket down to the cobbler, who looked at the ticket, thought for a minute or two, then said " Ah yes, brown penny loafers... need new heels... be ready next Tuesday." :):rolleye1:

Woo Hoo....sort of....
 

My neighbor posted on FB to me that it seemed that Verizon was up and running on the tower.

I have been watching the signal, and I am varying between 3G 1 bar to 3G 4bars. My wife has 4G with 2 bars and varying as well. Hopefully, they have turned it on, and are now tweeking it, like Den65 said they were doing with ATT a few months ago. In the past, I have not had 3G, so this is encouraging.

Hopefully I will see the 3-4 bars my kids had at Christmas on ATT. :rolleye2:

Verizon
 

Upthesaukee, good to hear. Please keep us updated.
Thanks

Yet, another tower update
 

No, Verizon is not on yet. I'll know because my son will no longer be texting his girl friend and be calling her on his cell phone from our house.:laugh: I live on Trask Side Rd. Here's a picture of the tower from last Monday.

Perhaps a lot has happened since Monday...
 

I was talking with some friends tonight. One from close to East Side Drive on Trask Rd has 4G four bars at his house, and has had since Tuesday. Never had that kind of signal before until this week.

I have 2 bars of 3G as we speak, and my wife has 2 bars of 4G, something we have never had. We have had 1 bar of coverage, at 1x or just 1x until this week.

I do think that Verizon is up and running. I just hope that they tweak it up just a bit. I would like to see the 4 bars that my kids have on ATT off the same tower. :rolleye2:

Upthesaukee where in the bay are you located?

Rand Hill Rd
 

Rand Hill Rd, also know as Old Laconia Rd to the old, old-timers. It starts at Busy Corner, by Amilynne's and JP China, goes up to Alton Mt Rd, and then comes out on Rte 11 again about a half mile before Jesus Valley Rd / Rte 11D intersection.

Pinning it down a little more, I am just west of Lakewood Dr, and just under a half mile off the lake.

To pin it down even more, I am here "X" :laugh:;).

And here is a pic of my wife's phone
 

Just took this picture a few minutes ago. As I said, we have never had 3G or 4G coverage at the house, until this week.

I know the area well. Let's hope they tweak the signal so you end up with 4 bars like your children on AT&T. Thanks again.

Somethings not right here
 

My wife is out with her friends tonight, so I took the kids over to the Rusty Moose for dinner. On the way back we stopped at the corner of Rt. 28 and Bowman Rd. I had no signal and my son only had 1 bar. We drove down Bowman and turned onto Jude Hill Rd. I got 1 bar my son got 2. Drove up Jude Hill right to the base of the new tower, I got 2 bars my son got 3. We should have seen a bigger jump in bars back at Rt. 28 and Bowman. I think what we are getting is either the Old Wolfeboro Rd. Tower or the Roberts cove Tower. We got back home to Trask Side Rd. and back to no bars.

Upthesaukee, might you be picking up someone's network extender/home cell phone repeater? We have a couple of these on Trask Side Rd. Some overlapping between the homes. They seem to be getting more common. This could be giving someone else the impression the they have more cell service than they really do.

No arguement here...
 

As I sit here tonight, I have 1-2 bars, still 3G. Not sure why... I am on an acre and a half of land, and the cell phone extenders are good for about 4500 sq ft. That would be a 40 ft radius.

I borrowed one from a friend, and could not go out of the house to the porch on the side of our garage and get a signal. Not sure what is going on... but I notice the signal is a little less tonight than during the day.

Not sure if they are working (daytime hours) on getting it up and running. I guess time will tell. I certainly do not have the signal to contemplate getting rid of my landline.

Your picture of the new array being installed is certainly a positive sign, and from what I heard a few weeks or so ago, maybe just a little longer, was they were trying to get TDS to get the phone lines in to the site.

From my end, it appears it is up... but not nearly as good as ATT... as I said, I hope they are still working on it.

And thanks for your input, Keng3. Between us, we will be able to sort it out eventually. :laugh:

Is Verizon even on the old wolfeboro rd tower? I drove right by it to the end of the road across from 28A the other day and wasn't getting much for service

It has to be on now, 4 bars of service going by sandy point and I'm able to access the internet too... Unheard of till a few days ago...

Still no improvement off Echo Point Rd
 

I still don't see any improvement off of Echo Point Rd. Same as before, lucky to pick up one bar.

Four bars last year
 

I was getting 3 and sometimes 4 bars at the top of the hill at Sandy Point last summer and also could access the internet on my phone. I even could access the internet via cell phone near the cottages just below the wall behind the restaurant.