A recent cell tower swap between Verizon and AT&T is not likely to affect Verizon cellular service but may eventually reduce roaming charges for AT&T customers in the Adirondacks.
The deal transfers towers previously owned by Verizon to AT&T and some AT&T towers in Kentucky to Verizon. The transfer was completed on Dec. 22 and involves former Verizon towers located throughout the entire Adirondack Park, up to Plattsburgh. Converted towers in the deal are also in Vermont, Kentucky and Washington.
AT&T spokeswoman Kate MacKinnon said the vast majority of the company's customers were on a nationwide plan, which means when an AT&T customer is in range of a cell tower not owned by the company, they are still able to receive service, even though that service is roaming at the time.
But when AT&T customers' phones are roaming, they are not necessarily aware of that status. The roaming charges are picked up by AT&T, so the customer is not forced to pay out-of-pocket charges for the use of a non-AT&T tower, MacKinnon said.
Because of this, AT&T customer prices generally will remain unchanged once the towers are converted over to the AT&T network.
As of now, AT&T has not done any work on the towers to convert them. There is no set timetable for that work, though MacKinnon said the work could potentially be done in 2009.
"The year is young," she said.
Once the towers are converted, AT&T will have full control over the towers' service.
"Eventually, that will be an AT&T-owned area that we will be able to enhance, manage and tweak for our customers," said MacKinnon.
Along with that control, MacKinnon said, will come higher-quality service.
John O'Malley, a spokesman for Verizon Wireless, said the loss of towers in the area would not affect service here since they were never a part of the Verizon Wireless system. He said they were acquired in a July 2007 merger with another wireless company called Rural Cellular and part of the deal involved trading some of that company's towers for those located in Kentucky
"Our phones are going to pick up the signal from the nearest Verizon Wireless tower," he said, adding that there are enough Verizon towers in the area to ensure quality service.
MacKinnon said the number of towers involved in the swap was not available.
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Zach Subar is a reporter for The Leader-Herald newspaper in Gloversville.